The Commission is providing EU countries with practical examples of how to tackle the energy crisis

The Commission continues to support EU countries in addressing the impact of the energy crisis stemming from the conflict in the Middle East. It has published a catalogue of national practicesthat can help EU countries reduce gas and oil consumption, cut costs and generate immediate savings for households, businesses and public administrations. These measures can help reduce costs in the short term, whilst strengthening the resilience of the EU’s energy system for the future. The European Commissioner for Energy and Housing, Dan Jørgensen, presented the catalogue to EU energy ministers during discussions at the informal Energy Council meeting taking place today in Nicosia (Cyprus). 

This set of measures, considered national best practices, builds on theAccelerateEU communication presented last month by the Commission and highlights three priority areas.

• protecting consumers and industry and promoting the EU’s long-term clean transition objectives.
• Supporting immediate energy savings and the rapid deployment of clean and energy-efficient solutions, whilst boosting European manufacturing capacity.
• encouraging investment in energy efficiency, clean energy production and demand response.

The measures included in the catalogue are replicable across Europe and constitute proven policies that are already delivering tangible benefits in the EU countries that implement them. 

Furthermore, by accelerating the implementation of existing EU energy standards, member states could reduce natural gas demand by between 10 and 15 billion cubic metres per year and oil consumption by between 15 and 20 million tonnes of oil equivalent per year, thereby lowering energy bills and reducing dependence on volatile fossil fuel markets. For this reason, their implementation is essential. 

Background

The online catalogue is a living document that will be updated regularly to include additional ready-to-use measures to mitigate the effects of the conflict in the Middle East.

More information: European Commission.