According to a leaked document, the EU's executive body is withdrawing from the introduction of a price ceiling for Russian gas, but insists on the special tax levied on the surplus income of energy companies, as can be read on the hirado.hu portal.
The Guardian , does not include a price cap for either Russian gas or imported gas after member states failed to agree on restrictions last week. The EU is expected to impose special taxes on the excess profits of fossil fuel companies and cap the revenues of low-carbon electricity producers.
The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, is expected to announce the European plan for dealing with rising electricity prices in her annual State of the Union address on Wednesday.
The final text may still change, but the draft shows that the Commission doubts that it would get enough support from EU member states for its preferred solution, i.e. limiting Russian gas.
EU member states that import large quantities of gas from Russia, including Hungary, Slovakia and Austria, have opposed setting a cap on Russian gas because they fear the Kremlin would cut off gas flows and push their countries into recession. Russian President Vladimir Putin has already threatened to cut off energy exports to Europe if such a plan is agreed upon.
more details on the hirado.hu portal.
