MNI: German Opposition To Gas Price Cap Under Fire-Officials

Germany will come under pressure at today’s Prague summit from other European Union states angered by its EUR200 billion energy package to soften its opposition to the bloc’s proposed gas import price cap, EU officials said.

Irish Prime Minister Micheal Martin told reporters that in talks so far there was a “general view that there should be a more cooperative or collective approach” on the part of EU states, Germany included, to tackling the rise in gas prices.

Slovak Prime Minister Eduard Heger said it was “too early” to talk about a new NextGenerationEU-style package, adding that “hopefully it will not be necessary”. National budgets and a windfall tax on energy companies ought to be the first means of funding energy subsidies, he said. (See MNI: Inflation Strengthens Hawks' Resolve In EU Debt Talks)

It would be “surprising” if the German budget did not come up in talks, an EU official said, as “it’s inherently part of the discussion and aid schemes and price caps.”

Today’s talks are aimed at “identifying convergence” another EU official said. Leaders are expected to return to the energy issue at another summit later this month.