In 2023, Portugal was the European Union (EU) Member State with the highest percentage of energy poverty, at 20.8% and at the same level as Spain, the European Commission announced on Wednesday, calling for more protection for vulnerable consumers.
The figures are contained in the report on the state of the Energy Union, published by the European executive in Brussels, which states that the highest percentages of people who cannot keep their homes adequately heated were recorded last year in Portugal and Spain. both countries with 20.8%followed by Bulgaria (20.7%) and Lithuania (20.0%).
On the other hand, Luxembourg (2.1%), Finland (2.6%), Slovenia (3.6%) and Austria (3.9%) recorded the lowest percentages in terms of energy poverty, the institution points out, noting that, in the 27 Member States. In the United States, an average of 10.6% of the EU population is unable to keep their home adequately heated.
Compared to 2022, this percentage increased by 1.3 percentage points, in a context of energy crisis and inflation.
Stressing that the situation of energy poverty varies “among EU countries that promote measures to protect families”, the European Commission highlights that Member States “can act to guarantee access to essential services and protect vulnerable consumers from excessive costs, directly combating energy poverty”.
The EU executive also states that “the new energy market legislation will better protect vulnerable households affected by energy poverty from being disconnected.”
“In the event of a natural gas price crisis, emergency measures at EU level can help protect consumers through interventions on retail price caps,” he also said.
One of the initiatives implemented within the framework of the new legislation for the energy market was the creation, starting this year, of a Social Climate Fund, which should mobilize at least €86.7 billion in revenues from the European Union’s Community Licensing Scheme. Issuance for the period 2026-2032, including co-financing from 25% of countries in order to contribute to a socially fair transition towards climate neutrality.
The fund is expected to finance measures and investments that member states adopt in their social climate plans until June 2025, with the aim of helping to offset the expected increase in energy bills due to the introduction of carbon pricing for heating and transport.
According to the report on the State of the Energy Union, half of the community’s electricity production will come from renewable sources in the first half of 2024.
As for gas, as the EU attempts to become independent of Russian supplies due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the share of Russian gas in EU imports will decrease from 45% in 2021 to 18% in June 2024.
The EU has also set targets for reducing gas demand, which has enabled it to reduce gas consumption by 138 billion cubic metres between August 2022 and May 2024.
On August 19, the EU reached its winter gas storage target of 90%, well ahead of the November 1 deadline.
Source: Observadora
