Paris backs Brussels’ plan to cut gas consumption as it believes European Union (EU) countries must act in a coordinated manner to deal with a situation that affects everyone, it was announced this Friday.
This position was expressed today by the French government, which announced that Energy Transition Minister Agnès Pannier-Runachet will discuss with colleagues from other member states on Tuesday the European Commission’s proposal to reduce consumption by 15%.
“This proposal should be analyzed first, because the conditions, including those of a technical nature, vary from country to country,” executive sources told Efe.
In any case, sources note that European countries are facing the same problems, and some of them are “much more vulnerable than France.”
Particular attention was paid to Germany, the main economic and political partner of Paris, which, before the invasion of Ukraine, bought from Russia more than half of its gas consumption, while for France this was less than 20%.
For the French government, “it is important to act in a coordinated way at the European level”, and this is how it understands “the actions of the European Commission, which it supports”.
In this context, government sources assured that “France is ready to play its part in European solidarity” and is “in close and constant contact with (its) neighbors on this issue.”
On the 14th, French President Emmanuel Macron announced that his government would prepare a “sobriety plan” with the goal of reducing energy consumption by 10% in two years.
A goal that is different from Brussels’ idea that all EU countries should cut gas consumption by 15% between August 1 and March 31, 2023, which Spain, Portugal and Greece have openly opposed.
In France, the government is assuring that there will be no reductions for private consumers next winter, but does not rule out mechanisms for reductions for large energy consumer companies during the peak consumption period.
In addition, in order to strengthen gas supply routes, Paris plans to increase the capacity of regasification terminals in Fos-Cavau and Dunkirk, and also launched a floating terminal project in the port of Le Havre, which will be completed only in September 2023.
Author: Lusa
Source: CM Jornal
