EU plans could help consumers through energy crisis (and beyond)

The European Commission today published its Accelerate EU plan, a much-needed set of measures to help consumers through the current fossil fuel crisis and beyond.

Under the plans, the Commission will legislate to reduce electricity taxes and network charges for all consumers. This would have a tangible impact on consumers’ energy bills: lowering taxes alone could lead to bill reductions of around 14%. Assistance will also be given to EU governments on how to provide targeted support to consumers who need it and promote social leasing schemes for electric cars.

The Commission also announced the upcoming publication of an Electrification Action Plan to decarbonise Europe’s economy. This should be the kind of longer-term measure that can help protect consumers from the next fossil fuel crisis. But it should go hand-in-hand with a Heating and Cooling Strategy, an initiative that could boost the roll out of heat pumps to consumers that is still overdue.

BEUC Director General Agustín Reyna commented: “It’s good that the European Commission will soon propose some concrete measures that would lead to tangible savings for consumers in the short-term. Reducing charges and taxes and targeting support to where it’s needed could make a real difference to consumers’ energy costs. Longer-term, the best protection against the next fossil fuel crisis is to get rid of fossil fuel dependance. The Commission upcoming Electrification Action Plan must be ambitious to ensure long-term energy price savings. Every fossil fuel molecule that we can replace with electricity means more stable and predictable energy prices”.

Read more

• Position paper: How to protect consumers in (yet) another fossil fuel crisis?

• Report: How to make energy markets work for consumers and deliver affordable bills