Vice Chancellor and Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Climate Action Dr Robert Habeck is travelling to Brussels today to discuss the current energy supply situation in Europe with his EU counterparts this afternoon. The French Council Presidency has convened the Special Energy Council at short notice after Russia has stopped delivering gas to Poland and Bulgaria. The talks will focus on the European coordination of measures to ensure security of supply and on joint action to ensure that Europe will become independent of Russian energy as soon as possible.

Prior to the meeting, Federal Minister Habeck said: "We stand together in Europe, today especially with Poland and Bulgaria. Russia’s unilateral decision to stop delivering gas to both countries is a breach of contract and entirely unacceptable. We now need to work together in Europe in solidarity to develop solutions in order to ensure security of supply in the coming months and during the next winter. We now need to join forces in order to speed up the European energy transition. We are making progress on becoming independent of Russian gas deliveries. We also need backing from Brussels to this end: the REPowerEU Plan announced by the Commission must include specific – legislative and financial – measures on how to accelerate and promote the expansion of renewable energy. Fewer fossil fuels and more renewables – this is now a matter of national and European security and independence."

In mid-May, the European Commission will present its REPowerEU Plan comprising measures with the aim to rapidly reduce the EU’s dependence on Russian gas. Energy will also be an item on the agenda of the next meeting of the Heads of State and Government on 30 and 31 May.

You can find more information about the European Commission’s REPowerEU Plan here and here.