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Emergency measures for energy crisis in limbo after pressure for price cap
(EurActiv, 24 Nov 2022) New measures to tackle the energy crisis, including speeding up permits for renewables and boosting solidarity between EU countries, have been left in limbo following a push to link them to a controversial price cap for gas.
At a meeting on Thursday (24 November), EU ministers agreed on the text of new emergency measures to tackle the energy crisis but will not formally adopt them until they find a political agreement on a newly proposed gas price cap.
“I am very glad we agreed on the content of both regulations, on joint gas purchases and solidarity measures and also on the permitting of renewable energy projects,” Jozef Sikela, the Czech minister who chaired the meeting, told the press conference after it.
“We are not opening the champagne yet, but put the bottle in the fridge,” he added.
The date for opening the champagne, as it were, should be 13 December when EU energy ministers will meet for their next emergency energy council with the aim to approve the gas price cap, which would allow the emergency measures to be adopted.
The decision follows significant pressure from pro-price cap countries. According to several diplomatic sources speaking to EURACTIV, countries in favour of the price cap gathered before the meeting to discuss their position. Here, it was agreed to treat the emergency measures and gas price cap as a package, added one diplomat.
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EurActiv, 24 Nov 2022: Emergency measures for energy crisis in limbo after pressure for price cap
