EU countries seek to break impasse on electricity market reform

(EurActiv, 5 Oct 2023) EU countries are looking to break the impasse on plans to reform Europe’s electricity market following an almost four-month deadlock, with the aim to approve their negotiating position on 17 October.

The reform of the electricity market was tabled by the European Commission in March 2023 in a bid to contain rising prices caused by the Ukraine war, but what was hoped to be a quick process has been mired in debates about state aid for power generators.

EU country ambassadors met on Wednesday (4 October) to discuss the topic and several compromise papers were floated in an attempt to break the deadlock.

However, more talks will be necessary before EU countries can agree on their joint position ahead of decisive negotiations with the European Parliament to finalise the law.

The clock is ticking as the European Parliament will dissolve before the June EU elections. The sooner EU countries can get their position, the quicker they can move into negotiations and the more likely the law is to cross the finish line.

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EurActiv, 5 Oct 2023: EU countries seek to break impasse on electricity market reform