Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Brussels
Image: AP
According to Chancellor Olaf Scholz, the member states have agreed on joint gas purchases. “Unity and solidarity” have prevailed, commented Council President Charles Michel.
Dhe heads of state and government of the European Union have reached an agreement in principle in the energy dispute. EU Council President Charles Michel wrote on Twitter on Friday morning that they had agreed at their Brussels summit to “devise measures to contain energy prices for households and companies”. He added, “Unity and solidarity prevail.”
According to Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD), the federal states have agreed on joint gas purchases, some of which should be mandatory on the proposal of the EU Commission. “I think that’s good progress,” said Scholz in Brussels. In addition, the EU energy ministers are to examine in detail next Tuesday how price fluctuations through speculation on the gas market can be prevented. The aim is “that it is not impossible to get gas through arbitrarily set prices,” the Chancellor continued.
“There are still many doubts” about the question of whether a European upper limit for gas prices is possible, such as in Spain and Portugal. Countries like Germany and Denmark spoke out against it.
