EU Economic Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis said that Brussels will give more freedom to take measures to help countries get rid of dependence on fossil fuels.
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“We see that the energy crisis is lasting longer than initially expected. The Strait of Hormuz is still closed,” said V. Dombrovskis, referring to the strategically important waterway through which about a fifth of the world’s oil and gas is transported in peacetime.
Shipping through this important Persian Gulf strait has been severely restricted since the start of the war.
Last month, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni asked the EU to relax fiscal rules and make an exception for energy expenses. Brussels made a similar exception for defense spending.
Although the Commission took G. Meloni’s request into account, it also expressed disapproval of specific measures Italy has taken so far to address the price surge problem. V. Dombrovskis said that actions such as Italy’s reduction of excise taxes on fuel will not be excluded from Rome’s public spending assessment.
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Support measures that could be exempted include promoting the use of electric vehicles, replacing home heating systems from fossil fuels to heat pumps, solar energy devices used by residents, electricity storage, and batteries.
This would apply only to measures adopted from February onwards, and member states will have to officially use the budget exception condition.
However, he once again assured EU states that Brussels “is closely monitoring the situation and is ready to propose measures if necessary.”
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