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Spain floats options for EU electricity market reform

(10 Jul 2023) EU countries are in a deadlock over reforming the bloc’s electricity market, something the Spanish EU Council Presidency is looking to solve as national elections loom on 23 July.

The electricity market reform, tabled by the European Commission in March, seeks to avoid a repeat of last year’s energy crisis, which saw consumers faced with soaring energy bills due to record-high gas prices.

However, finding a reform that works for the different energy mixes and economies of all 27 countries has proven difficult, with talks failing to come to fruition by the end of June.

“There is more time needed to find a text which works for everybody,” an EU diplomat told EURACTIV following a meeting of EU ambassadors on 30 June that ended without agreement.

Now lawmakers in the European Parliament have reached a political deal on the reform, which still needs to be confirmed by a vote on 19 July in the assembly’s industry committee.

Meanwhile, the Spanish EU Council Presidency, which took the baton from Sweden on 1 July, is attempting to find a deal “at the earliest possible date”, according to a second EU diplomat. Ministers will meet in Spain from 10 to 12 July to discuss ongoing energy and environment topics, including the reform.

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, 10 Jul 2023: Spain floats options for EU electricity market reform