Debate contributions by Jens GEIER

Madam President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen! First of all, I would like to thank the rapporteur: Dear Anna, this is a great report, which gives us a lot of material for further work on the energy transition, because we have to put an end to the inefficiencies, inefficiencies in the electricity grid in Europe. For this, we need Europe-wide networking – this is our task here to ensure this and to lay the foundations for it. That is why, as the report points out, we must also think together about decarbonisation and digitalisation in the future; This is a social and economic mission. It is a good thing that the European Investment Bank will provide a EUR 1.5 billion guarantee guarantee to support the manufacturers of components for the electricity grid. This creates growth and jobs and, in the end, additional security of supply. It is also central for the Commission to present its recommendations for the harmonised methodology for the calculation of network guarantees. This has been promised to us, Commissioner, for the second quarter, and this quarter will end the following week. Keeping grid charges under control is important, because it does not matter whether households and the economy suffer from high electricity prices or high grid charges. The bills must not remain so high. High energy costs are a crucial social issue and we need to solve them for the climate, for people and for jobs.

Mr President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen! In a modern society, energy supply must be secure and low prices must be guaranteed. I hear that wholesale gas prices are back to pre-war levels. But as far as I can see, this has not yet arrived at the level of consumers and the economy. Therefore, for the S&D Group, the starting point was clear: If we extend the European gas storage regime, it must not send false price signals. If, as was previously the case in the Annex, it is clear which Member State is filling what percentage of its storage at what time, then this is an invitation to increase prices – one could also say about price driving. Therefore, it was important to make the time periods more flexible and to reduce the storage levels with a sense of proportion. If we see gas importers not achieving the goal of guaranteeing security of supply, then we face severe penalties. These are the conditions with which we are going into the negotiations for the trilogue. And then we hope for a lot of support from the Member States.

Mr President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen! How much money is in question here? If we look at the current budget of the European Union, it is payments, then money of EUR 199.4 billion has been committed. In fact, EUR 155 billion in payments will go over the table this year. And to put that into perspective: This is roughly the state budget of North Rhine-Westphalia times 1.5. So we are not talking about insane amounts, we are talking about money, which finances politics in the European Union, and I say clearly: It would be nice if there were more. Because we could pay significantly more research, for example: The experts who evaluate the research applications received by the European Union recommend seven times more research applications for funding than the EU can finance. And as far as I know, innovation is now also something that contributes to Europe's competitiveness. What needs to happen is: We need a bigger budget. Member States must agree on this. And we need additional own resources that can finance that.

Madam President, Mr Minister, Mr Executive Vice-President, ladies and gentlemen! The energy price is crucial for the competitiveness of key sectors of European industry, and the energy price is also crucial for the quality of life of many families. That is why energy prices need to fall. In the past, fossil fuel power plants were built where demand was. Today, we produce renewable electricity where we have a lot of wind and a lot of sunny days. I would be pleased, Mr Executive Vice-President, if the European Commission would pay even more attention to geothermal energy. Colleagues! The transition to renewable energies and a European internal energy market make it necessary to develop electricity lines and pipelines for hydrogen. This draws attention to the network fees of the future. These must not become the next price driver for energy prices, which is why we need industry-friendly measures and proposals from the Commission to keep grid fees under control.

Madam President, Mr Minister, Mr Executive Vice-President Séjourné, ladies and gentlemen! I would like to thank the Commission for presenting the Steel Action Plan, which I have long called for together with many colleagues. But you already had a good proposal, Mr Séjourné; and for which I would like to thank IndustriALL and Eurofer, and I am pleased to have been able to assist in the preparation of this draft action plan. This plan of action has some good sides. The problems are identified and addressed, e.g. the need to sharpen our trading instruments. I am particularly pleased about the assurance of a succession arrangement for the so-called safeguards from the middle of next year. And the weaknesses of the CBAM, the border tax on carbon, have also been identified and are to be eliminated. What I still don't like so much: We have an electricity market design in Europe that does not yet allow an industrial electricity price, but must continue to be applied for by Member States in order to be examined by the Commission in Brussels according to long-outdated criteria. And therefore my request to you, Mr Séjourné: Please check very carefully and tell us whether the Commission will tackle this issue again. And now implement, implement, implement, because steel is the future.

Madam President, Vice-President Séjourné, ladies and gentlemen! I would like to thank the European Commission for presenting this Clean industrial dealsI am pleased that the Commission has announced serious steps to improve the competitive situation of European industry. On the positive side, the Commission is making a proposal from a single source instead of creating the usual hack between DGs. It would be good, Mr Séjourné, if the Commission could overcome the time of political solutions from individual silos. However, I am not sure whether parts of the industry still have time before the Commission's measures begin to take effect. With the proposal for lead markets for decarbonised products such as steel, the Commission is taking an important step forward, allowing not only stronger national aid but also linking public procurement to other criteria. But will the critical feature be local production or decarbonised European production? Therefore, in order to clarify this, we now need very, very quickly the Acceleration Act for the final carbonization of industry, as soon as possible.

Madam President, My first sentence also goes to you, Madam Simson, thank you very much for your work in the European Commission. You have always been a fair, open and talkative partner to the Energy Committee. I thank you for that. Ladies and gentlemen, to the right of the EPP there is a debate that the European Commission is somehow the cause of high energy prices. In fact, the first energy price shock coincided with the rebound of the global economy after the peak of the pandemic, and the second price shock coincided, of course, with Russia's attack on Ukraine. On the other hand: The sun shines in vain and the wind blows in vain. But we need powerful, smart grids to distribute this energy – and, of course, across borders. Of course, it would make no sense to replace high energy costs with high grid costs. Public budgets will then have to temporarily reduce network tariffs. And in the case of the dark doldrums – yes, there are – a modern power plant reserve makes the difference, which can be operated, for example, with green gases – plus powerful storage technologies, for example, with hydrogen. And to all those who believe in nuclear power: German energy managers tell me that they do not want to return to nuclear energy in any way. It's too expensive.

Madam President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen! The European steel industry faces a wide range of problems and challenges. Energy prices remain too high after the shocks of Covid and Russia's war of aggression. Global overcapacity in steel production is putting pressure on markets – both on third markets and on our European single market. And in order to make a major contribution to protecting the climate, the European steel industry is starting the transition from blast furnace to production with clean gases and green electricity. To meet these challenges, the European steel industry needs help. It needs better trade protection, competitive and reliable energy prices, and public investment assistance. I am very pleased that, at my request, the social partners in the steel industry, IndustriALL on the trade union side and EUROFER, have drawn up an action programme for steel, for which I am now seeking support from this House. Our aim should be for Vice-President-designate Séjourné to be able to see and respond to the support of such an action plan in this House before his hearing. I don't want to have to ask him about it.