The head of the European Council called on the EU to form an energy union

BRUSSELS, 10 Oct – PRIME. The European Union should urgently work on the formation of a real energy union, which will become an important pillar of EU sovereignty, said the head of the European Council, Charles Michel.

“There is an urgent need to create a real energy union. This will be an important pillar of EU sovereignty… As we saw during COVID, especially with vaccines, no country can deal with a crisis of this magnitude alone,” the statement said.

According to him, countries must be prepared to face taboos related to national powers and EU competencies.

“A sustainable energy union will not magically emerge from 27 national energy sets – we must make them compatible. This will require strong and sincere coordination between member states,” Michel said.

He added that the EU would also need to create the regulatory framework and market conditions for such a union. At the same time, the EU’s common energy strategy should have four goals, including reducing energy consumption, ensuring security of supply, and lowering prices, Michel said.

In addition, Michel recalled that the European Union should reduce energy consumption not only in the coming winter, but in principle.

He noted that the EU’s common energy strategy should include several points, including the reduction of energy consumption.

“It will be important not only for the coming winter, but also permanently,” he added.

“It will require a change in mentality, a lot of innovation and creativity, and honesty. We need to be honest with our citizens and businesses about the challenges we face,” Michel concluded.