PiS MEP Beata Szydło submitted a question today to the European Commission regarding delays in implementing the plan to gradually reduce the European Union’s dependence on Russian energy imports.
“In the Versailles Declaration, EU member states committed to ending their dependence on Russian energy imports as quickly as possible. Under REPowerEU, the goal was set to end these imports by 2027. President von der Leyen promised to publish a plan to phase out Russian energy resources within 100 days, but the publication, scheduled for February of this year, was delayed until March, and on March 4, it disappeared from the Commission’s agenda. Everything indicates that this decision was made without proper interdepartmental consultations, including without the involvement of DG ENER leadership,” the parliamentary question reads.
In light of the above, the Polish politician asks about the main reasons for yet another delay in announcing the plan to phase out Russian energy imports, as well as why the decision to remove the document from the agenda of the College’s meetings was not consulted with the leadership of DG ENER. “Was this decision made under pressure from certain member states? When can we expect the document to be published?” the Polish MEP asks.
Furthermore, as Beata Szydło noted, some Member States have not taken sufficient measures to diversify their energy supplies; gas imports from Russia increased last year, and politicians in some of these countries are calling for a resumption of energy cooperation with Russia. “What safeguards does the Commission plan to put in place to prevent the Union from once again becoming dependent on energy supplies from a country that openly pursues an aggressive and revisionist policy toward Member States?” the MEP asks.
