Scholz distantly receives the plan of the southern countries for an energy reform of the EU

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  • The chancellor limits himself to expressing, before having dinner with Sánchez, that “everything possible must be done so that the EU is more quickly independent” in energy

Heads and tails on the same day. On RomeIn the morning, Pedro Sánchez strengthened his alliance with Italy, Portugal and Greece to push the European Union to adopt “urgent” solutions to a “common” problem, that of the “unaffordable” rise in energy prices. And in Berlin, in the afternoon, he met a chancellor, the Social Democrat Olaf Scholz, who was much colder towards the joint proposal of the southern countries. Convincing him will be key for southern Europe to see his proposals triumph in the ordinary summit of the Twenty-seven on March 24 and 25 in Brussels.

For Sánchez, the European Council is a “priority”, and that is why he defends, in order to try to placate the pressure he receives in Spain from the opposition and from the street, that we must wait for the national response plan to the war in Ukraine. The “steps” are two, and in that order. First, Brussels, next week, and then the approval of the royal decree law with anti-crisis measures in the Council of Ministers on March 29. Because it considers that it is necessary to attack “the origin of the problem“, and it is the design of an energy market that suffers from “unbearable volatility” as a result of the escalation in gas prices.

But the main obstacle is and remains Germany. After meeting in Rome with the Prime Ministers of Italy, Mario Draghi; Portugal, Antonio Costaand Greece, Kyriakos Mitsotakis (this, by videoconference, by covid), Sánchez traveled to the German capital. The foreign minister, in a joint statement by both and without questions, prior to his working dinner, was extraordinarily brief on this matter. and vague. He confirmed that a “very concrete difficulty” for Spaniards and Germans is the high energy prices. “We want to discuss how to solve this problem, exchange ideas on our national strategies and do everything possible so that the EU become more independent in everything that has to do with energy”, he limited himself to expressing. The ‘fit for 55’ package, the plan designed by the EU for the ecological transition, is “a strategic project”. Point. He did not advance further. It was not surprising: in the last hours, the president’s team admitted that Berlin was still very hard, contrary to reviewing the model.

For Sánchez, just as Europe is “united” against “Putin’s war” and in favor of Ukraine, it must now unite around the economic and social measures that protect its citizens and companies

Sánchez, on the other hand, exposed to the media the pressure on the EU in which Draghi, Costa, Mitsotakis and himself had converged hours before in Rome. “This is a European problem that requires a common answer, not that 27 countries give their answers depending on the reality of each one of the Member States”, we must act “now” and do it “urgently”, for the “good” of families and companies. For the Spanish Executive it is “fundamental”, therefore, that the European Council adopts “concrete” and “immediate” answers. He stressed that just as Europe is “united” against “the war of [Vladímir] Putin” and in favor of Ukraine, must now unite around economic and social measures that protect its citizens, move towards strategic autonomy from the EU and safeguard the recovery that was emerging after the pandemic.

“Natural Convergence”

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In the morning appearance, Sánchez had used a dramatic tone: “We have to act together and do it now. let’s go lateWe should have done it earlier. We cannot wait another day”. The socialist leader warned of the risk that, if collegiate and common solutions are not adopted, each State will react on its own, and then the energy market would be “fragmented”. Hence, he stressed that the proposals from Italy, Spain, Portugal and Greece do not alter the “robustness” of the systemneither affect the “stability of supply” nor discourage the transition to renewables.

Costa asks for “concrete and firm” decisions and Mitsotakis warns: “No country on its own can face a crisis like this”

Draghi highlighted the “natural convergence” of the four Mediterranean countries, urging the EU to intervene in a “united and determined” manner. “Decisions concrete and firmand not mere guidelines”, demanded Costa. In the same vein, Mitsotakis stated: “No country on its own can face a crisis like this”, they are needed “harmonized european responses to counteract speculation.” The conservative leader warned that if there is no “forceful” reply, the “mine in the countryside” will not be removed, which, in the long run, can become the seed of populism.

Coincidence on the need to strengthen the Europe of defense

Italy, Spain, Portugal and Greece share, with a view to the European Council next week, measures such as capping energy prices, centralized purchases, decoupling the cost of gas from the electricity bill, interconnections (not only gas, but also hydrogen), the diversification of supply sources and the acceleration of the deployment of renewables, because “all paths must be traveled at once”, and in this objective southern Europe plays a “fundamental role“, according to the Italian Mario Draghi. A plan to which, ‘a priori’, Germany opposes, unless there is a turnaround in the coming days.

In which the countries of the south and Berlin do agree is to promote Europe as a global geostrategic actor. They all support the Strategic Compass designed by the high representative of the EU, Josep Borrell, and the goal of cooperating with the US and with a “reinforced” NATO. As Olaf Scholz said, the roadmap to be approved by the Council will give “a clear orientation and a new dynamic” to the common security and defense policy “in these insecure times.” “Peace defends itself,” Pedro Sánchez had agreed from Rome.

The president extends his pre-Council tour. Before the scheduled visit to Dublin, on Tuesday 22, he will travel to Paris and Brussels. will be the next Mondayto meet the French President, Emmanuel Macron, and the Belgian Prime Minister, Alexander de Croo.



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