Greens/EFA Group call for addition & long term solutions to tackle energy, climate & social crises
Energy crisis
Today, a majority of the European Parliament missed the opportunity to send a strong signal on the energy price crisis and the EU’s responses to it. The Greens/EFA Group call to increase the windfall tax on fossil energy companies and extend it to other sectors did not receive a majority. The Greens/EFA Group are calling for an EU solidarity fund to tackle the energy crisis. Energy ministers from the 27 EU countries agreed last week on measures to tax fossil companies' excess profits by at least 33% and cap the large profits of electricity producers.
Marie Toussaint MEP, Greens/EFA member who negotiated the resolution on behalf of the Group, comments:
“Unfortunately, the majority of MEPs have failed to provide clear answers to the energy crisis. We need ambitious measures, going far beyond what the European Commission has put on the table. We proposed a ban on supply cuts and housing evictions, the introduction of a price cap on gas imports, the extension of the tax on super-profits to all multinationals, and increased investment in renewable energy.
“We cannot fight this crisis with fossil subsidies for new gas pipelines - such as MidCat - and gas companies. We need European money to massively promote the expansion of renewables and to relieve the burden on our citizens. National measures must not lead to fragmentation and imbalances in the EU. The EU needs to extend the windfall tax to all companies benefiting from the current crisis and ensure a fair distribution of the money across the EU.”
Bas Eickhout MEP, Greens/EFA Vice Chair of the Environment Committee, comments:
"The European Parliament has wasted an opportunity here to call on EU Member States to do more to address the acute energy and climate crisis and growing financial distress among Europeans. The windfall tax on fossil fuel companies and energy-saving interventions decided by ministers fall short of leading Europe fairly and sustainably through this crisis.
“We cannot just focus on short-term solutions to get through this crisis, we need a serious long-term vision on how to reach energy independence and guarantee security for citizens. That means massive investments in renewables now to ensure that our continent is powered 100% by green energy by 2040 at the latest.
“We need an EU-level solution for unprecedented social, geopolitical and climate challenges in the years ahead. That’s why we urgently need an RRF-style EU solidarity fund that would effectively protect small businesses and vulnerable households from inflation and energy insecurity. We need a solidarity fund to guarantee the large scale investments necessary for building insulation, energy savings and renewable energy across the EU.”
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The Greens/EFA Group are calling for an EU solidarity fund, which would protect low incomes from high inflation and provide much-needed investments in sustainability.
