European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has ruled out the possibility of allowing EU countries to buy Russian gas, even when Europe is facing energy shortages leading to power outages.
When asked if the European Commission would rule out buying Russian gas, even in the event that Europe suffers power outages due to energy shortages, Ms. Ursula von der Leyen said that the EU will continue to switch to green energy produced in Europe.
Previously, European Energy Commissioner Dan Jorgensen declared that EU countries should not buy "a single molecule" of energy from Russia, regardless of circumstances.
Meanwhile, on March 19, EU leaders called for temporary measures to reduce the impact of the energy price increase caused by the Iranian conflict, in which proposed short-term solutions include reducing electricity taxes, reducing grid fees and support from the state.
Europe's large dependence on imported energy makes the region vulnerable to rising prices, after supply disruptions and Iran began attacking energy infrastructure in the Middle East.
About 1/5 of the global supply of crude oil and natural gas (LNG) usually passes through the Strait of Hormuz near Iran.
In the long term, Europe is betting on replacing fossil fuels with low-carbon energy sources produced within the bloc to end vulnerability to oil and gas price fluctuations.
In the conclusion announced after the summit in Brussels, EU leaders said that the European Commission needs to closely coordinate with members on temporary, targeted measures to reduce the impact of increased import fuel and electricity prices.
Ms. Ursula von der Leyen believes that EU member states can implement support from the state to reduce the impact of rising energy prices, and the EU governing body will also propose reducing electricity taxes.
In some cases, electricity is taxed much higher than gas, possibly up to 15 times. This is impossible," she said.
However, tax cuts or state support may increase divisions between rich and poor countries, as many countries have tightened their budgets and at the same time had to increase defense spending.
She also said that the European Commission will prepare a legal proposal to improve the efficiency of the power grid infrastructure, allowing countries to reduce grid fees for energy-intensive industries.
The conclusions of EU leaders also emphasized the measures needed to maintain investment momentum in renewable energy, support faster deployment and ensure fair competition in the intra-bloc market.
