The European Union (EU) granted this Friday a “special treatment” to Spain and Portugal to implement immediate policies that allow them to reduce the price of electricity.
“We have agreed a special treatment for the Iberian Peninsula,” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said at the conclusion of a bloc summit in Brussels.
The head of the Spanish government, Pedro Sánchez, pointed out that with this decision the two countries will be able to adopt “exceptional and temporary measures” to reduce energy prices.
The summit of European leaders devoted Friday to discussing the situation generated by the rise in energy prices, fueled by the war in Ukraine.
The demand from Spain and Portugal to be allowed to act immediately met with resistance.
The negotiated solution means that these two countries will be able to propose very short-term measures to the European Commission to reduce the price of electricity for final consumers.
“This meets our expectations, we will be able to establish a reference price and this will mean a drop in prices, without a doubt. In the next week we will send the proposals to the Commission and we have the commitment of the Commission to have an urgent response” Sanchez said at a news conference.
The Spanish president appeared before the press accompanied by the head of the Portuguese government, António Costa, and both made no effort to hide their satisfaction with the agreement reached.
“The work of Spain and Portugal has allowed this important agreement for the Iberian Peninsula (…). The EU countries have different energy realities and it is clear that we have to lower energy prices at a European level,” he said. Sanchez.
Costa announced that “already in the next week” the Lisbon and Madrid teams would present temporary measures to the European Commission to try to reduce electricity prices.
In a parallel press conference, the head of the German government, Olaf Scholz, commented that “the two friends [Sánchez y Costa] they did very well.” In his opinion, Sánchez “has represented the interests of his country very well.”
The Declaration approved at the end of the summit reiterates the bloc’s determination to reduce its dependence on Russian hydrocarbons “as soon as possible.”
