Minister asks EU “more involved” in the fuel crisis

“<span class=”news bold” >We hope that Europe will be more involved in this crisis, as it was in the crisis of 2022, when it was the invasion of Ukraine in various dimensions. One in aid and the other in coordinating the measures taken at Member State level to preserve the integrity of the internal market and reduce competition problems,” said Maria da Graça Carvalho.

In statements to Portuguese journalists in Brussels after meetings with European Commission officials, the governor added that she hoped that “the Commission would have the same attitude” as the previous crisis, notably in coordinating the measures taken by EU countries and in supporting the affected sectors.

In Portugal, the industries with the greatest difficulty in replacing gas with electricity, such as ceramics and glass, are concerned.

One of the risks identified by the ruler is that of an unequal response between Member States, as the flexibility of the European rules on state aid allows support for companies and sectors affected by price rises, but can also create differences within the EU single market by the different budgetary capacities of Member States.

“It is essential, for the sake of the integrity of the internal market, that there should be coordination at European level of the various aids, as was the case in the crisis of 2022,” he insisted.

The European Commission has been following national measures and advocates temporary and targeted support for sectors most affected by the energy crisis and has relaxed the State aid rules.

Maria da Graça Carvalho still considered that the current energy crisis is different from that of 2022, since this time the main problem for Portugal is not in the price of electricity or in the heating of housing, but above all in the increase in the prices of fuels used in transport and, increasingly, in the gas used by the industry.

Last Friday, European Commissioner for Energy, Dan Jørgensen, asked in a letter to EU guardian ministers to take measures to reduce gas and electricity consumption “as long as necessary” in the face of pressure from energy markets and the approaching winter.

However, “the Commissioner’s letter does not reflect this reality”, criticised Maria da Graça Carvalho, arguing that the missive is focused on reducing electricity and gas consumption for heating.

Asked about the possibility of establishing new mandatory targets for reducing consumption, as happened during the crisis of 2022, the minister turned away this possibility: “I don’t stand for that.”.

The European Commission has, for its part, put the reduction in demand and energy efficiency among the instruments to reduce market pressure.

Already questioned about a possible call for telework, the minister said that a general measure “would have to be discussed in the Council of Ministers, involving the Prime Minister and the Minister of Labour”.

“ But we are following and seeing evolution”, he concluded.