Action plan to reduce energy bills for households and businesses will be prepared by Commissionas stated in the answer to a question, which is co-signed by the ND MEP Dimitris Tsiodra and by 18 other MEPs from various Southern and Eastern European countries.

Specifically, as the responsible Commissioner Country Simson notes, this Plan will lead to more affordable energy prices. In response it adds that “this policy response should include increasing the flexibility of the region’s energy systems to improve their ability to absorb temporary price spikes.”

It underlines the need for a more integrated European energy system, with greater capacity for physical interconnection between regions and fewer restrictions on the use of available interconnection capacity for cross-border commercial transactions.

This is a request of the Greek Government which was made by the Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis in his relevant letter to the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen.

In the question, Mr. Tsiodras and the other MEPs had pointed out that “Electricity prices in the countries of Southeast Europe have increased dramatically compared to other regions of Europe, approaching the highest prices seen in the EU during this period. This unevenness has serious negative effects on industry competitiveness and consumer prices, while at the same time endangering economic convergence within the EU.”

The MEPs had asked the Commission to assess the causes of imbalances in electricity prices in these countries and to take the necessary actions to address this imbalance.

Question with written answer request E-001736/2024

to the Commission
Article 144 of the Regulation

Radan Kanev (PPE), Merja Kyllönen (The Left), Miriam Lexmann (PPE), Adrian-George Axinia (ECR), Daniel Buda (PPE), Dan-Ştefan Motreanu (PPE), Dan Barna
(Renew), Zala Tomašič (PPE), Dirk Gotink (PPE), Dimitris Tsiodras (PPE), Matej Tonin (PPE), Eva Maydell (PPE), Tsvetelina Penkova (S&D), Tonino Picula
(S&D), Ioan-Rareş Bogdan (PPE), Nikola Minchev (Renew), Virgil-Daniel Popescu (PPE), Hristo Petrov (Renew), Emil Radev (PPE)

Subject: Recent increase in electricity prices in Central and Eastern Europe

For more than four consecutive months, the internal energy market has faced a significant lack of uniformity, especially in several of its Member States
south-eastern Europe, including Greece, Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary and Croatia. Electricity prices in these countries have risen dramatically compared to other regions of Europe, approaching the highest prices seen in the EU during this period. This disparity has serious negative effects on industrial competitiveness and consumer prices, while at the same time endangering economic convergence within the EU. Moreover, this situation is the subject of significant political exploitation by Russian and populist propaganda, further undermining democratic integrity of these nations.

1. Has the Commission assessed the causes of imbalances in electricity prices in these countries?

2. If so, can the Commission share its findings, including information on factors affecting the functioning of the common energy market and local influences?

3. What actions is the Commission planning to address this imbalance?

Deposit: 17.9.2024