Were national response measures to the energy crisis social and climate-friendly? 11 May 2023, 10h-15h30

European Economic and Social Committee, Van Maerlant building, Room VM3 (rue Van Maerlant 2, 1040 Brussels)

Conference organised by the ETUI in the framework of an ECF-funded project

Europe has ‘survived’ the much feared winter without suffering energy shortages, power cuts or a recession, showing a considerable level of resilience. This workshop looks at whether, and if so to what extent, short-term national responses to the energy cost surge prioritised social and ecological concerns.

According to Bruegel, between September 2021 and March 2023, EU Member States allocated 646 billion euros to shield consumers from rising energy costs. But were these resources properly targeted? And was there a ‘climate dividend’?

National case studies reveal that measures were mostly broad-based, including subsidies, tax cuts and price controls. Did conflicting objectives emerge? If so, how were these tackled? And are there any good practices to be identified where short-term social protection can be aligned with longer-term ecological objectives? 

Agenda

10.00 Introduction - Bela Galgoczi (ETUI) 

10.20 Energy transitions and the cost of living: how to strike the right balance between short term fixes and long-term solutions to the energy crisis? Claudia Dias Soares, (Institute for European Environmental Policy)

10.40 
Energy shock and policy measures: the case of France, Jérôme Creel (OFCE Sciences Po)

Germany's  response to the energy price hike, Andrew Watt (Macroeconomic Policy Institute in the Hans-Böckler Foundation) 

11.15 Comment by Ludovic Voet (ETUC) TBC 

11.30 Discussion

 12.00 Lunch

 13.00 How do Italy's response measures to the energy crisis align social and climate objectives? Giuseppe Simone (University of Bologna)

13.20 Poland: From tax reduction to tariff controls and subsidies, Maciej Grodzicki and Michał Możdżeń (Jagiellonian University in Kraków)

13.40 Discussion

14.00 The case of Greece, Sotiria Theodoropoulou (ETUI) and Christos Pierros (INE GSEE)

14.20 Policy measures to alleviate the effects of energy inflation in Austria, Wilfried Gschwandtner (Chamber of Labour, Vienna)

14.40 Discussion 

15.00 Concluding remarks - Bela Galgoczi (ETUI) 

This event will be in-person only. Please register here before 4 May and make sure you can show your ID at the entrance of the EESC building.