Von der Leyen Want EU Countries To Use Their “Collective Bargaining Power” On Energy

EU countries should use their “collective bargaining power” to secure affordable gas supplies ahead of next winter, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said today. Commission chief says ‘there is broad support’ for such a step.

  • Speaking at the close of an informal summit in Prague where EU leaders discussed measures to tackle the energy supply crisis, von der Leyen said it was of crucial importance to avoid a scenario in which EU countries compete for gas supplies and drive up prices on the international gas market.
  • EU-wide gas storage is now at 90 percent, but there are growing fears that the Continent won't be able to reach similar levels ahead of winter 2023.
  • Charles Michel said the bloc would need to “organize public procurement of energy supplies” before the summer storage-filling season.
  • “We came back to the subject today and there is increasing support for this idea,” Michel said.