L-R: Xavier Bettel, Luxembourg's Prime Minister; Alexander de Croo, Belgium's Prime Minister;
Credit: © SIP / Thierry Monasse
On Thursday 20 and Friday 21 October 2022, Luxembourg's Prime Minister Xavier Bettel took part in the European Council in Brussels, Belgium.
The agenda of the meeting of Heads of State and Government was marked by discussions around energy policy, particularly concerning security of supply and economic issues related to the latter.
Following the proposals submitted by the European Commission, the European Council noted that, faced with the current crisis, it will be necessary to intensify and accelerate efforts aimed at reducing energy demand, securing supply and lower prices for households and businesses and avoiding rationing, while preserving the integrity of the single market.
The measures adopted include, among others, the voluntary joint purchase of gas, a temporary dynamic price corridor on natural gas transactions, a temporary European Union (EU) framework to cap the price of gas used in electricity production and accelerating the simplification of permitting procedures in order to stimulate the deployment of renewable energies.
The European Council has thus mandated the European Commission and EU energy ministers to work urgently on concrete decisions after having developed their possible impact and taking into account the different national contexts. EU energy ministers will notably meet in Luxembourg on Tuesday 25 October 2022.
The situation in Ukraine was also on the agenda of the European Council. In this context, the Heads of State and Government notably addressed the question of the sustainability of macro-financial aid, the financing of reconstruction ahead of the International Expert Conference on the Recovery, Reconstruction and Modernisation of Ukraine in Berlin, Germany on 25 October, as well as the fight against impunity - a point highlighted by Luxembourg.
The conclusions of the European Council also highlighted European efforts in favour of food security and the importance of protecting critical infrastructures through close cooperation.
Moreover, the European Council held a policy debate on EU-China relations, as well as on EU-ASEAN (the Association of Southeast Asian Nations) relations ahead of the summit which will take place in December 2022. The leaders concluded that it remains essential that the EU continue to talk, work and negotiate with China. Both parties should in particular deepen their close relationship in terms of climate and environmental protection and food security.
Finally, the conclusions mentioned the preparation of COP27 in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt and condemned the recent violence against demonstrators, especially against women, in Iran. Luxembourg's Prime Minister spoke strongly against all violence against women and girls.
