EC to issue guidelines for national energy state aid schemes

The European Commission will announce on Tuesday, October 5, the guidelines for the measures that member countries can take to mitigate the social impact of rising electricity and gas prices, announced Bogdan Chiritoiu, president of the Romanian competition body Consiliul Concurentei, quoted by Hotnews.ro.

Chiritoiu was heard in the ad-hoc parliamentary committee set for carrying on an inquiry into energy prices. "Tomorrow, the European Commission will come up with its recommendations.

It is understood from the draft that they will recommend us not to hinder the functioning of the market. The recommendation would be to find those methods that do not discourage energy saving. For some consumers, it is advised [to provide] a certain incentive to help them save money and buy energy-efficient equipment," the official said.

According to him, the capping of the gas price at the producer on the stock exchange would lead to the situation in which the cheap natural gas from Romania would be exported. In the medium and long term, investments are needed, he added.

During Chiritoiu's hearing in Parliament, the Government was issuing an emergency ordinance providing 25% end consumer subsidies for households with winter-season (November-March, five months) consumption of up to 1,000 kWh and 1,000 cubic meters of natural gas.

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