Le Pen vows โmajor air-conditioning equipment planโ as France swelters
The far-right leader wants her country to embrace AC as temperatures rise due to climate change.
energy crisis
Can Keir Starmer bring down bills before bills bring him down?
Downing Street is worried about rising energy bills. Every option for bringing them under control could bring political pain.
EU countries consider relaxing 90% gas storage target before winter
Underground gas storages could be filled just 85% under certain conditions, making EU countries more vulnerable to cold snaps or supply disruptions next winter.
EU to propose keeping mandatory gas-filling goals despite pushback from countries
Countries like Germany have pushed for a more flexible approach, complaining the targets could raise gas prices.
German election results tilt EU back toward nuclear energy
Pro-atomic countries are optimistic that center-right winner Friedrich Merz can help ease the EU’s never-ending nuclear spat.
What Germanyโs Election Means for America โ and the World
The countryโs next leader will face pressure from both Trump and the far right.
France to keep regulating power prices
The elimination of the tool would have โnegative consequences,โ according to the government.
Stรฉphane Sรฉjournรฉ is on a nuclear mission as EU industry chief
With Germany embroiled in political and economic difficulties, nuclear advocates see an opportunity to score points in Brussels.
Ukraine war briefing: Power restrictions as Russia hits energy system
Trump says Ukraine โmay be Russian somedayโ; Biden-approved weapons still flowing, says Kellogg. What we know on day 1,084See all our Ukraine war coverageUkraine implemented emergency power restrictions on Tuesday morning as the energy minister, German…
Moldovaโs Russia-backed breakaway region strikes deal to end energy crisis
Separatist leaders said they will take a Russian loan to pay for supplies despite an EU aid offer.
Ukraine war briefing: US has not stopped military aid to Ukraine, says Zelenskyy
Comments follow an announcement from newly inaugurated US secretary of state Marco Rubio that he would pause foreign aid grants for 90 days. What we know on day 1,068See all our Ukraine coverageThe US has not stopped military aid to Ukraine after newly…
Zelenskyy says Trump could end Ukraine war only if Kyiv included in talks
The Ukrainian leader signaled readiness to supply coal to Moldova, which is gripped by an energy crisis after flows of Russian gas through Ukraine stopped in the new year
The post Zelenskyy says Trump could end Ukraine war only if Kyiv included in talk…
Zelensky insists EU and US must include Kyiv in any negotiations with Russia
As he urged Europe and the US to take part in any discussions around ending the war with Russia, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky reiterated at a press conference on Saturday that any talks held without Kyiv would not guarantee lasting peace. He…
Ukraine can bring Azeri gas to Europe, Zelenskyy says
Comments came after angry complaints from Slovakia and Hungary over Kyiv’s refusal to renew transit of Russian gas.
Moldova ready to pump gas to Russian-backed separatists amid humanitarian crisis
Any deal must not become a back door for Russian influence, says Moldovan official.
โIf You Compromise With Totalitarian Systems, You Will Pay a High Priceโ
In a new book, Axel Springer CEO Mathias Dรถpfner urges the U.S. and Europe to join together in a โFreedom Trade Allianceโ against China, Russia and other autocracies.
Zelenskyy, Sandu discuss Ukrainian coal to ease Transnistria energy crisis
“We are ready to assist Moldova, including with coal supplies,” Zelenskyy said in his nightly video address after discussing the crisis with Sandu by telephone.
The post Zelenskyy, Sandu discuss Ukrainian coal to ease Transnistria energy crisis appeare…
Moldova wants to solve Russia-triggered energy crisis with EU funds
Moldovan authorities blamed Russia for triggering an energy crisis in the country.
The post Moldova wants to solve Russia-triggered energy crisis with EU funds appeared first on Euractiv.
Moldova blames Russia for energy crisis in breakaway region
People of Transnistria forced to chop wood to heat homes after gas transit deal via Ukraine expires
Ficoโs Russian gas fearmongering falls flat
Kyiv’s decision not to renew a deal with the Kremlin hasn’t sparked the catastrophe the Slovak prime minister imagined.
Moldova faces energy crisis as flow of Russian gas ends
Russian gas has stopped passing through Ukraine after a five-year deal expired, leaving Moldova at risk of a crisis.
Russia cuts off gas to Moldovan separatists, risking humanitarian crisis
The Moscow-backed breakaway region is unable to heat homes after being cut off by Kremlin patrons.
The biggest battles headed for Brussels
What the EU will be squabbling about in VDLโs second term.
Moldova braces for energy crisis as Russia halts gas supplies
Moldova braces for energy crisis as Russia halts gas supplies
EU burns through gas storage at fastest rate since energy crisis
Colder weather and lower seaborne imports increase reliance on stored gas
Cost of UK Christmas dinner up 20% since pre-pandemic
Price of mince pies and turkey jump driven by energy crisis and supply chain disruption
Why electrifying industry is best for long-term competitiveness in Europe [Promoted content]
Complex challenges require joint solutions. European energy intensives are struggling with high energy prices combined with other competitiveness issues. The power sector needs higher demand from industrial consumers. How to strengthen European competi…
Romania ready to support Moldova amid energy crisis
Bucharest can “lend its support” to help Chisinau get through the winter.
The post Romania ready to support Moldova amid energy crisis appeared first on Euractiv.
Swedish minister open to new measures to tackle energy crisis, blames German nuclear phase-out
“I’m furious with the Germans,” Busch told Swedish broadcaster SVT.
The post Swedish minister open to new measures to tackle energy crisis, blames German nuclear phase-out appeared first on Euractiv.
Ukraineโs energy crisis holds a lesson for EU, Polish minister says
Ukraineโs energy crisis holds a lesson for EU, Polish minister says
Who were the biggest dunces? Final grades for von der Leyenโs first Commission
Whoโs at the top of the class and who flunked? Here are POLITICO’s grades for each 2019-2024 European commissioner.
Czechiaโs commissioner hearing: Jozef Sรญkela on international partnerships โ live updates
The ex-banker and industry minister would get to play with the โฌ300 billion budget for the Global Gateway infrastructure initiative.
โBitter medicineโ: Why some EU officials quietly yearn for Trump
Europeans may not like Donald Trump, but officials from several countries said his reelection could spur change in the bloc โ namely on defense.
French PM to present โreform planโ inspired by Yellow Vest โgrievancesโ
The notebooks were raised before COVID-19, the energy crisis, the Ukraine war, and the 2023 riots.
French public debt reaches record high: Is France the sick man of Europe?
France’s debt has reached a record โฌ3.228 trillion, amounting to 112 percent of GDP. That is well above the cap set by EU rules. Of course, France isn’t the only member state to have racked up debt during the Covid pandemic and the energy crisis. Seve…
The rise and fall of Macronomics
Macron was once seen a paragon of good economic management, but his opponents now accuse him of ruining France’s finances.
Greta Thunberg blocks Brussels boulevard in fossil fuel protest
The EU’s energy taxation rules favor oil and gas despite efforts to reach net zero, experts say.
What the new French government means for Brussels
With both president and prime minister vying for control in the policy domain, the political picture could look somewhat different.
Czech crisis manager set to become EUโs top global dealmaker
As boss of the EUโs โฌ300 billion Global Gateway infrastructure initiative, Jozef Sรญkelaโs job will be to beat China at its own game.
Russian oil deal proves Hungary energy crisis fears unfounded, EU says
The agreement allows the EUโs two most Kremlin-friendly countries to skirt around restrictions imposed by Ukraine.
Suppliers spooked by Draghiโs call to decouple price of green electricity from gas
Mario Draghiโs EU competitiveness report, launched with much fanfare in Brussels yesterday, included a proposal for an electricity market reform that the European Commission shied away from during the energy crisis of 2022.
Germany hammers Trump over debate barbs about Berlinโs energy transition
โP.S. We also donโt eat cats and dogs,” scoffs Berlin’s foreign ministry at Republican presidential candidate.
The great Commission puzzle: Who we think will get each portfolio
Ursula von der Leyen is about to hand out key jobs in her team. Hereโs POLITICOโs version of the next Commission.
โA structural crisisโ: German growth forecast downgraded to zero percent
Germanyโs GDP growth forecast was downgraded to zero percent by a leading think tank on Thursday (5 September), amid growing fears that weak productivity and a sustained weakness in manufacturing could lead to weak growth becoming entrenched in Europeโ…
Ovo profits rose 11-fold in wake of energy crisis
UK energy companies were allowed by regulator to recoup rising costs through customer bills
No oil shortage in Hungary despite Russia sanctions outrage, EU says
Hungary and Slovakia have been accused of trying to benefit from cheap Russian oil despite the alternatives.
The European Commission hopefuls with one thing on their mind
EU governments are battling for their people to get roles linked to the economy.
The UKโs first rate cut in three years is awkward for Labour
The U.K.’s finance minister spent all week saying Britain’s economy is broken. Then the BoE cut interest rates.
โDrill, baby, drillโ: Americaโs fossil fuel boom risks bust in Europe
Both Trump and Biden are pushing lucrative U.S. fossil fuel deals โย a risky bet given the EU’s plans to wean itself off the energy source.
Von der Leyen is in! Let the fighting over the next European Commission begin.ย
EU leaders will fight back against โtoo powerfulโ von der Leyen as she assembles her team.
Auditors question EUโs gas crisis response, joint purchases
The EUโs response to the gas crisis failed to take affordability into account, while the joint gas purchasing mechanism provides no apparent value, the blocโs auditors have found.ย
Macronโs high-risk election puts Franceโs economy on the line
The rise of the far right is sending tremors through financial markets and could push French debt deeper into the danger zone.
European Central Bank to cut rates at last, but should we be careful of what we wish for?
The ECB’s expected rate cut on 6 Juneโthe first since 2019โcomes at a time of widespread concerns about the state of the European economy.
Over-reliance on gas delays G7 transition to net-zero power
G7 countries have only 10 years left to act on their commitment to reach net-zero emissions power systems.
Europe Ahead: Socialistsโ Schmit on why over-regulation isnโt Europeโs main problem
Europeโs economic problems primarily result from insufficient investment rather than excessively burdensome regulations, the Socialistsโ lead candidate for the Commission presidency, Nicolas Schmit, told Euractiv in an interview.
Ursula von der Leyenโs secret climate crusadeย
Has the European Commission president given up on her green agenda going into a possible second term โ or is she just biding her time?
Germany backs down in gas levy fight
The climbdown comes after the EU threatened legal action and capitals warned the fees were making it harder to quit Russian energy.
France lands record โฌ15B in foreign investments as Macron hosts business summit
Microsoft, Amazon and Pfizer are among the firms set to pledge billions of dollars in investments at the ‘Choose France’ summit in Versailles.
Uniperโs dormant Russian gas contracts may pose hurdle to listing
Reuters exclusively reported that legacy gas contracts with former main supplier Gazprom could become a key hurdle for utility Uniper [โฆ]
The post Uniperโs dormant Russian gas contracts may pose hurdle to listing appeared first on Reuters News Agency.
France tops UK (again) in foreign investment race amid European slowdown
The U.K. bucked a Europe-wide trend of declining investments.
Maltaโs energy minister warns: The energy crisis isnโt over
In an interview with Euractiv, the Maltese energy minister warned against considering the European energy crisis over and laid out a vision of her island nation becoming the power connection between Europe and North Africa.
Eurozone emerges from recession but France, Germany stay weak
The eurozone beat analyst expectations to emerge comfortably from a recession in the first quarter of this year, new EU data published on Tuesday (30 April) showed, while inflation figures boosted hopes of long-awaited rate cuts by the European Central…
How Europe solved its Russian gas problem
The bloc has avoided an energy crisis, but the short-term solutions could harm competitiveness and the green transition down the line
German Greenโs minister Robert Habeck under fire over 2022 nuclear shutdown
The Berlin economy and environment ministries, both held by the Greens, have been accused of mishandling the shutdown of the countryโs last three nuclear power plants during the 2022 energy crisis.
How a second Trump presidency could tear Europe apart
The former presidentโs return would cement a shift in the U.S. as a fact that can no longer be ignored.
European Parliament adopts โpatchworkโ power market reform
The EUโs overhaul of the power market design, sparked by the energy crisis of 2022, was accepted by Parliament, paving the way for new crisis alleviation measures to become law.
Revealed โ the next Brexit headache on the Irish border
The U.K. and EU are planning separate systems to tax carbon-heavy imports, prompting familiar fears about the impact in Northern Ireland.
Once humiliated by inflation, the ECB is now saying it was right all along
The battle for the narrative has swung again, now that prices are (nearly) behaving themselves.
Is Europeโs energy crisis over? Falling gas prices conceal wider problems
Countries now have abundant gas supplies but years of high costs led to a pervasive economic slowdownEurope is leaving behind the winter months with gas storage facilities brimming at all-time highs. This abundance of gas has allowed wholesale market p…
The Brief โ The Keynesian times are over
Faced with the far-reaching implications of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and a global energy crisis from 2021 onwards, European governments have embraced a Keynesian approach, spending billions to keep companies afloat and help consumers. But those ti…
Europeโs wind power targets โback on trackโ [Advocacy Lab Content]
Europeโs wind power installations must produce 37 gigawatts annually to keep the EU on track towards its 2030 renewables goal. Build-out rates are far lower than needed, coming in at 17 GW total for 2023. Can the industry catch up?
Industryโs share of EU economy set to shrink, says CEO of German chemicals giant
The EUโs industrial output as a share of total GDP will decline as a result of persistently high energy prices, the head of the world’s largest chemicals company has said, adding that such a โstructural developmentโ is not necessarily bad and may even …
Supply offer three times larger than EU demand for natural gas under joint scheme
Global suppliers of natural gas have shown significant interest in the EUโs aggregated demand for natural gas, with suppliers’ offers outstripping the bloc’s demand by three times – a heartening result for the bundling scheme proposed following the ene…
Germanyโs Habeck blames Putin, world trade for industrial slump
Germany’s current economic weakness is mostly to blame on a slowdown of global trade and the aftermath of Russia’s attack on Ukraine, Economy Minister Robert Habeck said while presenting economic forecasts on Wednesday (21 February).
โThe outlook is not so goodโ: IMF cuts eurozone growth forecast
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has downgraded its growth forecast for the eurozone this year, as the continued impact of the energy crisis and weak consumer demand raise growing concerns about the currency unionโs economic resilience.
โHypocriticalโ European politicians weaken climate policies amid farmer protests
Under pressure from the far right in upcoming elections, environmental concessions being made across continentExhausted by an energy crisis, burdened by bureaucracy and angry at efforts to curb their pollution, Europeโs farmers say people are not liste…
EU electricity prices: Will 2024 mark the end of national tariff shields?
Electricity prices on the EU wholesale market have been on a downward trend in recent months, a development some governments see as an opportunity to remove subsidies introduced in response to the energy crisis, while others see as a bad signal for the…
Poland on track to unlock โฌ76B in EU funds, Warsaw minister says
European Commission says it is still assessing the situation.
โVery worryingโ: Trade unions alarmed by EUโs industrial collapse
Europeโs major trade union organisations have expressed deep concern about the scale of the EUโs industrial decline, as structurally high energy prices continue to lay waste to a crucial pillar of the blocโs economy.
Electricity pricing is Europeโs hidden industrial policy
The subsidy race triggered by the energy crisis in 2022 showed how electricity policy is central to industrial policy. Addressing this at EU level will become even more important in the coming years as Europe moves to electrify transport and other sect…
What happens after Europeโs energy crisis?
Also in todayโs newsletter, why carbon emissions pricing could become a material risk for LNG shippers
Iโm a Euro-optimist. But crisis after crisis tested my hope โ until I met these teenagers | Nathalie Tocci
From Ukraine to the climate and war in Gaza, Europe is struggling. But its young people remind me change is possibleI returned to my old school in Rome last January; an experience that lifted the spirits. I was there to talk to students about some of t…
EU single market czar outlines key reforms
Former Italian PM Enrico Letta wants to overhaul state subsidy rules and stop the brain drain of talent from poorer EU countries.
Germany plans partial reform of its debt brake, Lindner says
Finance minister wants more flexibility for taking on debt in times when economy is struggling.
Why the EU budget summit is a test of European democracy
Viktor Orbรกnโs threat to block funds and membership to Ukraine strikes at the heart of decision-making in the blocEurope live โ latest updatesIn the past three years, European leaders have weathered Brexit, the pandemic and the energy crisis, but it tu…
Trump who? Republicans in Dubai try to carve out their own climate agenda.
GOP lawmakers came to the U.N. climate summit to promote a vision that champions U.S. fossil fuels and nuclear energy while acknowledging the need to cut carbon. Itโs unclear how much that will matter if the former president regains the White House.
Will North Macedonia be able to quit coal?
North Macedonia is bathed in sunlight, so, phasing out coal should be easy. But because of the energy crisis, the exact opposite is currently happening: ancient coal-fired power plants are blowing huge amounts of toxic emissions into the air and new li…
National Grid to pay households to use less power as cold snap hits UK
Electricity network operator activates voluntary service first introduced during energy crisis last winter on Wednesday evening
EU gives France an โFโ grade on spending plans
High deficit puts Paris in breach of EU’s budget rules. Belgium, Finland and Croatia also singled out.
EU urges France, Germany to slash energy crisis spending
A European Commission report spells the return of belt-tightening after years of crisis-driven largesse
German debt brake ruling could doom energy crisis fund, says Habeck
Deputy chancellor Robert Habeck warns that constitutional court ruling may affect โฌ200bn fund
Anti-green backlash hovers over COP climate talks
War, a fossil fuel boom and populist revolts are sapping the optimism from the fight against climate change. And then thereโs Trump.
Windfall taxes on European energy companies ‘weakened’ by intense lobbying, says new study
Fossil fuel businesses across Europe have managed to weaken and delay windfall taxes imposed on them during the recent energy crisis, according to a new report by a coalition of environmental associations.
Franco-German power grab finally ends in compromise
EU countries overcame a monthslong impasse in a proposed reform of the bloc electricity market on Tuesday.
Polish parties scramble for coal minersโ vote in knife-edge election
Parties are resorting to handouts, U-turns and hiding the truth in a bid to win miners’ backing.
French utility chief urges France to boost nuclear output
The load factor of nuclear reactors – their output in relation to their energy capacity – needs improving, CEO of electricity and gas supplier E-Pango Philippe Girard told an event organised by Euractiv on France’s energy mix on Monday (3 October).
How will Europe weather a second winter without gas from Russia?
EU states have worked hard to secure supplies and storage โ while the UK seems just to be hoping it stays mildEurope will enter its second winter since turning off the taps to Russiaโs gas pipelines with record-breaking reserves. By the end of summer, …
Macron pitches non-punitive green transition with new package
The announcement for the green package comes as the UK and Germany tackle pushback and questions around the cost of the environmental agenda.
Article – EU energy market reform: protecting against high prices
The energy crisis and high electricity prices have triggered the need for a reform of the EUโs energy market. What is the Parliament calling for? Source : ยฉ European Union, 2023 – EP
Positive energy neighbourhoods: Building a resilient and inclusive Europe
Faced with an energy crisis, Positive Energy Neighbourhoods (PENs) could become Europeโs solution for sustainable and energy-efficient urban spaces as it moves forward with the green transition, write Maarten De Groote and Gabi Kaiser.ย ย