Ebba Busch to chair Transport, Telecommunications and Energy Council in Brussels

“I’m looking forward to the first Council meeting on energy issues during the Swedish Presidency of the Council of the EU, and I hope we can reach both a general guideline on the gas market package and a political agreement on the Council Regulation on coordinated demand-reduction measures for gas. Both proposals are important for our independence from Russian gas,” says Ms Busch.

The gas market package includes proposals for revision of  the Directive on common rules for the internal markets in renewable and natural gases and in hydrogen and the proposal for a Regulation on the internal markets for renewable and natural gases and for hydrogen. The EU must decrease its natural gas consumption to achieve its goal of climate neutrality by 2050.

The energy ministers will also discuss the European Commission’s proposal for reform of the EU electricity market design. The impact of high gas prices on the price of electricity has been identified as a vulnerability in the current market design.

The Council is also expected to adopt a political agreement on the Commission’s proposal to extend the Regulation on coordinated demand-consumption measures for gas. The Regulation is a response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Finally, the Commission will provide information about preparations ahead of the winter of 2023/2024.