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Manuel Berkel

Manuel Berkel Published: March 16th, 2022

Gas crisis: Liberals miss interim targets

Liberals in the European Parliament have called on the Commission to quickly present a more precise timetable for greater independence from Russian gas imports. “What are the necessary goals and milestones to be achieved in the coming weeks and months?” asked Czech MEP Martina Dlabajová (Renew) in the Industry Committee on Tuesday. Energy Commissioner Kadri […]

Manuel Berkel Published: March 15th, 2022

Federal government expects zero-sum game for gas reserve

The German government does not expect its government factions to pay for the planned national gas reserve. On Monday, Europe.Table had insight into a parliamentary group draft on the storage law. In it, three basic developments of the gas price over the coming months are presented, as well as their impact on the storage levy […]

Manuel Berkel Published: March 14th, 2022

Retail resists broad sustainability requirements

The importance of a secure supply of raw materials is becoming increasingly clear these days. In the statement of the informal Council of Versailles, the circular economy is mentioned as an instrument for greater independence from Russian energy imports. The new Ecodesign Directive now takes on all the more significance. A recently published draft provides […]

Manuel Berkel Published: March 10th, 2022

REPowerEU: these are the next steps

By the summer, the Commission aims to turn most of the announcements from REPowerEU into concrete legal acts, guidelines, and recommendations. Until then, intensive discussions with the member states are on the agenda. The Council of heads of state and government in Versailles, which begins today, provides an official framework. The agenda of the informal […]

Manuel Berkel Published: March 9th, 2022

Simson threatens forced sale of gas storage facilities

The plan had long been expected, and on Tuesday, the EU Commission presented its strategy for becoming less dependent on Russian gas. The Fit for 55 package alone will reduce gas consumption by 100 billion cubic meters, explained Commission Vice President Frans Timmermans in Brussels. However, this only applies in the long term for the […]

Manuel Berkel Published: March 8th, 2022

Oil embargo depends on Saudi Arabia

The oil giant Shell has informed traders in Germany that short-term deliveries of heating oil and other petroleum products may be restricted at some trading centers. As Bloomberg reports, Shell wants to secure its obligations under long-term contracts in this way. It is the latest reaction to rising demand on the markets in the face […]

Manuel Berkel Published: March 4th, 2022

IEA: EU can greatly reduce dependence on gas

Europe could reduce its imports of Russian gas by more than a third within a year, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA). The German government should even prepare for a complete trade freeze with Russia, said Jens Südekum, a member of the Scientific Advisory Board of the German Ministry of Economics. The prices for […]

Manuel Berkel Published: March 3rd, 2022

Berlin and Brussels want LNG

The German government wants to buy liquefied natural gas (LNG) for €1.5 billion to become less dependent on energy supplies from Russia. “The money is ready,” a spokesman for the German Economy Ministry said Wednesday. The market area manager Trading Hub Europe has been promised the funds, he said, and should now decide where specifically […]

Manuel Berkel Published: March 2nd, 2022

Ecodesign ends targeted product destruction

“The main objective of this directive is to reduce the negative environmental impacts in the life cycle of products,” reads the draft published by French news portal Contexte on Tuesday. The new eco-design directive is intended to contribute to the European industrial strategy.It replaces the 2005 directive of the same name. Initially, the focus was […]

Manuel Berkel Published: March 1st, 2022

Bruegel warns against ‘subsidy war’ over gas

At current prices, storing 700 terawatt-hours of gas would cost at least €70 billion for the entire EU – compared to €10 billion in previous years, Bruegel analyst Simone Tagliapietra wrote on Twitter.In Germany, a multi-stage procedure is to take effect in the future in order to reach defined minimum gas storage levels by certain […]