A maximum price in Europe for natural gas and electricity as well as a “European framework” to allow the recovery of the “extraordinary surplus profits” of the energy sector is called for by Belgian Prime Minister Alexandre de Croix.
Invited to Norway in the context of an international conference dedicated to energy, the Belgian prime minister repeated his request for a maximum price in Europe for natural gas and electricity. At the same time, as reported by the Belgian newspaper “Le Soir”, the Belgian Prime Minister also addressed the issue of taxation of the industry’s surplus profits.
Alexandre De Croix reiterated his call for a cap on energy prices. Comparing the current crisis with the financial crisis of 2008, he said: “What did we do then? We intervened directly in the markets.” And today, he stressed, we should act now. “To intervene in the market. Like in 2008. By regaining control of the market and setting a maximum price that we, as Europe, want to pay in the wholesale market. For natural gas and electricity.”
Eager to wean ourselves off Russian gas as quickly as possible, the Belgian prime minister insists: “When the market cannot calm down, we have to take steps to help it calm down. There is no simple solution. But we cannot allow the markets to are draining our families and businesses. We need to hit the pause button and take a step back to examine how our markets work.”
Regarding the “huge windfalls” of companies and players in the energy sector, Belgium’s Flemish Liberal Prime Minister is clear about their eventual taxation, which is being called for by several parties in Belgium, saying: “The situation is not normal and we have to fix it .We have clear plans in Belgium. And we urge our European partners, led by Norway as a strong NATO partner and ally, to work together to reduce the price of natural gas and create a European framework that brings our countries together in the fight to recover excess profits created under extraordinary circumstances. Not to make our governments richer, but to give families and businesses the opportunity to invest in solutions, in climate-neutral technologies.”
SOURCE: AMPE
Source: Capital
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