The war in the Middle East has triggered another energy shock, with consumers having to pay the price (yet) again. BEUC (The European Consumer Organisation) has published a new paper today detailing how to protect consumers through the crisis.

Since the 2022 energy crisis, the EU has sought to strengthen the resilience of its energy markets, notably by reinforcing consumer protections and diversifying its fossil fuel supply sources. Despite these efforts, the EU remains highly exposed to external geopolitical shocks and is not yet fully prepared to absorb a crisis of this magnitude.

While prices are not yet at the level of the 2022 crisis, the current increases on petrol, gas and electricity put consumers’ budgets under severe pressure. At petrol stations, drivers are already paying a heavy price. Food prices are also expected to rise in the coming months, as prices of fertilisers and transport increase. All of this comes on top of recurring concerns on the cost of living.

As prices for consumer goods continue to rise (and are expected to increase further still), BEUC has identified measures that policymakers, regulators and traders should implement in both the short and long term to help protect consumers financially.

This situation confirms a fundamental necessity: the EU’s future resilience, competitiveness, and energy autonomy depends on accelerating the decarbonisation of our society and reducing our fossil fuel dependency. 

These measures will not only help protect consumers in the immediate term, but will also ensure they are better protected against future fossil fuel price shocks.