European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen addressed the European Parliament regarding developments in the war in Iran and the energy challenges facing Europe, emphasizing EU solidarity with Cyprus. “We all stand in full solidarity alongside Cyprus. Your security is our security,” declared the Commission President, stressing that “Europe’s first responsibility is to protect its citizens and prepare for the consequences of the conflict.”
Referring to the situation in Iran, von der Leyen noted that “many Iranians celebrated the fall of (Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali) Khamenei” and hope that “this moment can open the path to a free Iran.” She also emphasized the EU’s unwavering commitment to pursuing peace, the principles of the UN Charter, and international law.
She then focused on the energy implications of the Middle East crisis. As she reported, despite efforts to diversify energy sources, Europe remains vulnerable to price fluctuations in global markets. According to the data she presented, since the conflict began “natural gas prices increased by 50% and oil by 27%,” meaning that “ten days of war have already cost European taxpayers an additional 3 billion euros in fossil fuel imports.”
Von der Leyen to European Parliament: We have energy sources produced in Europe, renewables and nuclear energy
Von der Leyen emphasized that the EU strategy must continue to rely on domestic energy sources, namely renewable sources and nuclear energy. As she said, “we have energy sources produced in Europe – renewables and nuclear energy,” noting that their prices “remained stable over the past ten days.” She even warned that returning to Russian fossil fuels “would be a strategic mistake” that would make Europe “more dependent, more vulnerable and weaker.”
Analyzing the structure of energy bills, the Commission President mentioned that the cost of energy itself accounts for approximately 56% of the bill, network charges for 18%, taxes and contributions for 15%, and carbon costs for about 11%. The Commission is examining measures to reduce costs, including through better use of energy purchase contracts and possible interventions in natural gas pricing.
She made particular reference to the European emissions trading system, known as ETS. As she emphasized, “without the ETS we would consume 100 billion cubic meters more natural gas today,” which would increase Europe’s dependence. However, she noted that the system “needs modernization,” opening the discussion for possible reforms.
In conclusion, the Commission President announced that a new roadmap for strengthening European competitiveness titled “One Europe, One Market” will soon be presented. As she said, this plan will include key legislative measures with a clear timeline until the end of 2027, aiming “to implement the necessary reforms for European citizens.”
