Policy Focus

EPP-ED speak out against gas cuts on EU countries

Source: EPP-ED press release

Date: 6 January 2009

Energy Conflict: Europe must reach agreement, says Joseph Daul, chairman of the EPP-ED group

As several European Union countries - namely Bulgaria, Romania and Greece, and several Balkan countries such as Croatia, as well as Turkey - are witnessing the serious gas supply problems due to the Russia-Ukraine disagreement, the Chairman of the centre-right European parliamentary group (EPP-ED), Joseph Daul MEP, has called on the Czech Presidency of the European Union and on the European Commission to act in a rapid and coordinated manner to bring the situation back to normal and to respect international commitments.

"The energy systems of numerous European countries are being threatened. This is unacceptable", said Joseph Daul, who contacted the Czech Prime Minister and President-in-Office of the Council of the European Union, Mirek Topolánek, and the President of the European Commission, José Manuel Barroso, in order to take all necessary measures "to prevent the European continent becoming a victim of the conflict between Kiev and Moscow".

"A solution must be found as quickly as possible to this untenable situation which could worsen the living conditions of those Europeans already hit by the economic and social crisis", highlighted Daul.

"If Europe is strong and united, it can convince the parties of this conflict to fulfil their commitments and to return to a reasonable situation. Moreover, this crisis has strengthened the centre-right in its work to develop a common European policy in the field of energy", concluded the Chairman of the most influential parliamentary group in the European Parliament.