EU leaders take action. They call for 'more concrete' measures to deal with the energy crisis

European Union (EU) leaders have called on Friday for "more concrete" measures to mitigate the impact of the Middle East war and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz on energy prices, as oil prices have risen again and there is a risk of supply problems if the conflict continues.

EU leaders meet in Cyprus one day after the European Commission chaired by Ursula von der Leyen released some inadequate suggestions for several leaders.

Thus, for example, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez and Italian Prime Ministers Giorgia Meloni, Bart De Wever and Donald Tusk, respectively, have appeared.

More ambition

'We have called on the Commission (Europe) to be more ambitious in the joint response of the European Union ', said Sanchez, who has called for taxes on large energy companies, the relaxation of tax rules for investment in the green transition and the 'extension' of the recovery fund for a year.

Meloni argued the day before that Europe "must be much bolder" in seeking solutions to the energy crisis resulting from the war and argued this Friday that preventing the crisis "requires courage."

Belgian De Wever, for his part, has agreed with Spain, Italy, Germany, Portugal and Austria to push for a tax on the extraordinary profits that energy companies make from the crisis, adding that the Brussels proposal package contains 'many recommendations and good practice , but not concrete '.

Duties of ministers

The ball will now be in the court of the EU finance ministers, who will meet in Brussels on 5 May and two weeks later, on 22 and 23 May, in the Cypriot capital.

The economic leaders of the 27 will have to look for 'more concrete' measures to deal with rising prices. Moreover, 'some countries', as they have advanced at the leaders' summit, are in favour of agreeing on flexibility in the rules on deficits and debt that will allow investment in energy security issues.

25 billion more.

At the press conference following the summit, von der Leyen said that the impact after 54 days of conflict is' significant 'and said that the EU has spent '25 billion more' on fossil fuel imports.

"So the medium-term strategy is very clear. We need to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels, because it makes us vulnerable, and we need to boost affordable and clean domestic energy sources, such as renewables and nuclear," he explained.