Extraordinary Transport, Telecommunications and Energy Council (Energy), 13 December 2022

Main results

EU energy ministers discussed a proposal for a Council Regulation establishing a market correction mechanism to protect citizens and the economy against excessively high prices. The Council will seek a political agreement on the proposal at the next Energy Council on 19 December.

We need to find concrete solutions for citizens and their energy bills in case we experience again excessive price hikes like those in August 2022. At the same time emergency measures in the field of energy call for the broadest consensus possible and we need to make sure that they are acceptable to overwhelming majority of member states. The Czech Presidency remains ready to work relentlessly to bring this proposal across the finishing line.

Jozef SÍKELA, Czech minister of industry and trade

• Proposal for a regulation on enhancing solidarity through better coordination of gas
• Energy prices and security of supply (background information)

Ministers will aim to formally adopt a Council regulation on enhancing solidarity through better coordination of gas purchases, exchanges of gas across borders and reliable price benchmarks and a Council regulation laying down a temporary framework to accelerate the deployment of renewable energy, also at the next Energy Council on 19 December. The content of these regulations was agreed in the Energy Council on 24 November 2022.

• Council agrees on substance of new measures on joint purchases of gas and a solidarity mechanism (press release, 24 November 2022)
• EU to speed up permitting process for renewable energy projects (press release, 24 November 2022)