Energy: Thierry Breton in favor of pooling purchases in Europe

European Commissioner for the Internal Market Thierry Breton said on Sunday that he was in favor of pooling energy supplies within the European Union.

“We talked about it for vaccines, I talked about it for semiconductors, we are now talking about it for energy… We can only react at the continental level and in solidarity, so yes we will need policies pooling and joint purchases” of energies, he said on French radio stations France Inter and Franceinfo, and the daily Le Monde.

“I am personally convinced of this, just as I was convinced of this when I was given responsibility for vaccines (anti-Covid, editor’s note). I remember that at the start many countries, including Germany, were not in favor of joint purchases. We did it! And to deal with the consequences of the pandemic, many countries were not in favor of pooling debt, including Germany. We did it !” he pointed out.

For energy, “I see that today a number of countries are not yet in favor, including Germany. I am convinced that we will do it. I understand the reasons, my role is to find solutions in solidarity to be able to cope,” he said.

For him, “we are in the process of building a new European solidarity in this energy war”.

Regarding the raising of European sanctions against Russia, he pleads “to continue to increase them but in a somewhat discriminating way, while preserving our interests. I am talking in particular of two countries, Hungary and Slovakia, which are 100% dependent ( of Russia for their oil, Editor’s note). If we decide not to have any more Russian imports, it is normal that we jointly provide solutions”, he underlined, without detailing them.

Brussels has submitted to the Twenty-Seven a halt to imports of Russian crude oil within six months, a proposal rejected by Hungary, which considers the derogation proposed to it insufficient.

© 2022 AFP

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