Welcome to European Tribune. It's gone a bit quiet around here these days, but it's still going.
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euractiv | LEAK: Brussels floats ["non-paper"] for capping gas [explosion] prices, 29 Sep
w"Establishing the appropriate level for the cap would be a challenging exercise due to internal and global market dynamics and entailing risks from the point of view of security of supply," the non-paper reads. "Furthermore, the risk of triggering supply disruptions from third-countries supplies is higher for a generalised wholesale price cap than it is for a price cap on the imports of pipeline gas."
[...]
Once again, it advocates for a cap on Russian gas imports, which currently make up 9% of EU supply
nope. Try again.
The European Commission says it is ready to discuss developing a temporary EU framework to limit the influence [?] of high gas prices on electricity prices.
[...]
Other ideas include engaging with "reliable supply partners" to reach a "common understanding" on reducing prices and a new "transactions-based LNG benchmark" to encourage more accurate pricing.
oh. prix fixe Nordic NG and US LNG racketeering for the world, now that EU's Russian gas pipes are empty. OK.
If this measure were to work, it would require creating a body at the EU level to replace the workings of the market and ensure gas is sent to places with scarce supply.

A price cap would also remove the financial incentive for consumers to reduce consumption, so there would need to be a "significantly more drastic" demand reduction framework, including curtailment, to address the increase in demand due to a lower price.

wut
The EU would also need to find "significant financial resources" to attract gas to Europe if global gas prices are higher than The Cap™.

The Commission non-paper can be consulted below or downloaded here.

Politico.eu.com | Germany introduces €200 billion gas price cap to counter Russia's 'energy war', 29 Sep dont-say-EU-embargo
Under the proposed scheme, the state will set a limit for [retail] gas prices and pay the difference between that [retail] cap and what gas importers pay on the world market.
dont-say-supply-challenged
"We want to clearly separate crisis spending from our regular budget management," Lindner said, insisting that the German government remained committed to a conservative fiscal policy that aims to limit inflation, which is expected to reach 10 percent in Germany.

"We want to send a very clear signal to the capital markets: Even if we now use such a defensive umbrella, Germany will stick to its stability-oriented, sustainability-oriented fiscal policy," Lindner said, adding: "German government bonds remain the gold standard in the world."

Politico.eu.com | EU announces Russian oil price cap in NEW! sanctions plan, 29 Sep dont-say-zero
by Cat on Thu Sep 29th, 2022 at 01:50:26 PM EST
[ Parent ]
kawsachunnews | IMF Tells Bolivia to Drop its Successful Economic Model, 16 Sep
... The bulk of public investment is destined for infrastructure, while the majority of subsidies are for ensuring the price of fuel doesn't rise. Bolivia is the only country in the region to see no rise in fuel prices, a policy that has kept inflation at less than 2%, unlike the rest of South America.

The report even states that fuel prices must rise, and the inflation that would inevitably cause could be offset by cash-transfer [payments] programs for the poorest sectors, says the IMF: "The successful implementation of an increase in domestic fuel prices will require recycling a part of the budget savings in cash transfer programs aimed at the poorest deciles of the population."...

by Cat on Thu Sep 29th, 2022 at 02:01:49 PM EST
[ Parent ]
oh. prix fixe Nordic NG and US LNG racketeering for the world, now that EU's Russian gas pipes are empty. OK.

Oh, so you're a neolib now? Don't like socialism? Planned market economies?


It is rightly acknowledged that people of faith have no monopoly of virtue - Queen Elizabeth II

by eurogreen on Thu Sep 29th, 2022 at 02:52:49 PM EST
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Nooooo, I'm a silent member of teh EU Comish, antitrust division. mwahahahahahahahahha
by Cat on Thu Sep 29th, 2022 at 04:13:38 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Politico.eu.com | German audit court slams Scholz's €200B gas price cap, 30 Sep
"'When money is drawn down from special funds, the state has to borrow. Ultimately, special funds, even if they are not called that, are federal debt,' the auditor's court president said."
by Cat on Sat Oct 1st, 2022 at 01:15:33 AM EST
[ Parent ]

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