Early Examples Of Divisions On Gas Cap Emerging

With EU energy ministers meeting presently regarding a host of issues, with the Commission-proposed gas price cap the top of mind, divergent views from member states are already in evidence.

• Czech Minister for Industry and Trade Jozef Sikela and European Commissioner for Energy Kadri Simson set to deliver presser at 1545CET (0945ET, 1445GMT) regarding the energy minsiters' meeting. Link to livestream: https://audiovisual.ec.europa.eu/en/ebs/live/1
• Estonia's Economic Affairs Minister Riina Sikkut offered an extremely reluctant endorsement of a cap at the very high Commission proposed level of EUR275/mwh, stating that Estonia would support it, "...if it’s temporary, only for extreme price hikes (...) and when we all understand it won’t be any every day measure but only for extreme circumstances,”
• Belgian Energy Minister Tinne Van der Straeten took the opposing stance, saying before the meeting that, “The text that is on the table is unsatisfactory (...) it doesn’t clearly say if it will have an effect on prices."
• Anna Moskwa, Polish Minister of Climate and Environment, said that the Commission proposals were "a joke", adding, “I don’t know if there’s anyone who could back this proposal… it’s not even a start to a discussion,”
• Kostas Skrekas, Greek Minister of the Environment and Energy, said he backed a range of EUR150-200/mwh as the cap, well below the level seen as acceptable by Germany and the smaller group of nations concerned about a low cap and its impact on gas supplies in the event of a cold snap that depletes current stored supplies.