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Transport, Telecommunications and Energy Council (Energy), 19 December 2023
Main results
Emergency Regulations
The Council reached political agreements on proposals to extend the period of application of three emergency Council regulations, adopted in December 2022, under Article 122 TFEU. The emergency measures were adopted last year following Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, in order to enhance solidarity between member states, accelerate the deployment of renewable energy and protect EU’s citizens from excessively high energy prices.
The emergency regulations have been extended because of the persisting risks for the EU’s security of gas supply and in order to prevent market volatility and excessively high gas prices.
The extension of the three emergency measures is necessary to address a still-fragile situation in the EU following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. This will allow us to ensure the stabilisation of the energy markets, alleviate the effect of the crisis and protect EU citizens from excessive high energy prices.
Teresa Ribera, Spanish Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for the Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge
Regulation (EU) 2022/2576 includes temporary emergency measures designed to bring down high energy prices and improve gas supply security. It applies from 30 December 2022 for a period of one year.
EU energy ministers reached a political agreement to extend the regulation for one more year, until 31 December 2024.
Gas market measures to secure and share supply in the EU (infographic)
Accelerating the deployment of renewable energy
Regulation (EU) 2022/2577 aims to tackle the energy crisis, reduce the EU’s dependence on Russian fossil fuels and further advance the EU’s climate objectives by accelerating the permit-granting process and the deployment of renewable energy projects. It applies from 30 December 2022 for a period of 18 months.
Ministers agreed on extending the period of application of certain amended provisions in the regulation until 30 June 2025. Unlike the other two emergency regulations, amendments would then go beyond the mere extension of the period of application of the regulation.
Fit for 55: how the EU plans to boost renewable energy (infographic)
Protecting EU citizens and the economy against excessively high prices
Regulation (EU) 2022/2578 establishes a system of temporary measures to preventspikes of excessively high gas prices in the EU that do not reflect prices on the world market. It applies from 1 February 2023 for a period of one year.
Ministers reached a political agreement on extending the period of application of the regulation for one more year, until 31 January 2025.
A market mechanism to limit excessive gas price spikes (infographic)
Other business
Under any other business, the presidency informed ministers about current legislative proposals. Specifically, the presidency provided ministers with information about the proposal to improve the EU’s electricity market design and the hydrogen and gas markets decarbonisation package as well as the other legislative files where a political agreement has been recently agreed in trilogues with the Parliament: energy performance of buildings directive (EPBD) and the regulation on methane emissions in the energy sector.
Ukrainian minister of energy German Galushchenko joined remotely to inform the Energy Council about the energy situation in Ukraine in the light of the winter season and on the situation of Ukraine’s energy system.
The Commission informed ministers about recent developments in the field of external energy relations.
The Commission also gave ministers an update on winter preparedness.
Ministers were also informed about the Commission’s assessment of the draft update national energy and climate plans.
In addition, the Commission gave ministers information about the urgency of implementing the renewables directive and the energy efficiency directive.
Lithuania provided ministers with information on persistent concerns about nuclear safety and transparency upon the start of the commercial operation of the second Belarusian NPP unit.
Finland informed ministers on the event in the electricity day-ahead markets on 23 November.
Belgium presented the work programme of the incoming presidency.
During lunchtime, ACER presented their report “Demand response and other distributed energy resources: what barriers are holding them back?”
Lastly, two signing ceremonies took place: on the Political Declaration on Energy Efficiency Financing and the European Energy Efficiency Financing Coalition and the Wind Charter.
The extension of the three emergency measures is necessary to address a still-fragile situation in the EU following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. This will allow us to ensure the stabilisation of the energy markets, alleviate the effect of the crisis and protect EU citizens from excessive high energy prices.
