The European Commission is preparing a set of measures to respond to the rise in energy prices and one of them directly affects the organization of work: Brussels admits making one day of teleworking mandatory per week, whenever possible. The proposal is part of a broader package that should be presented in the coming days and which also includes changes with an impact on the cost of living.
According to , a generalist Portuguese information website, the community plan also includes a recommendation to reduce public transport prices. The intention is to alleviate pressure on consumers and, at the same time, reduce energy consumption associated with daily commuting.
The formal presentation of the measures should be made by Ursula von der Leyen next week. When it comes to teleworking, the logic is simple: fewer people moving means less fuel consumption and less pressure on energy markets, at a time when prices continue to rise across the European Union.
A wider package to stop the climb
In addition to the reorganization of work and transport, Brussels is considering a set of support aimed at the most affected families. Among the hypotheses under analysis are specific financial aid, the temporary application of regulated prices and reductions in taxes on electricity.
The energy scenario, however, does not show signs of immediate relief. The executive director of the International Energy Agency, Fatih Birol, has already warned that April could be even more difficult than March, even in a context of eventual geopolitical stabilization. The current crisis, he highlighted, goes beyond oil and natural gas, extending to essential materials such as fertilizers, petrochemicals and even helium.
At the European political level, pressure is also growing for a coordinated response. The President of the European Council expressed confidence in the approval of support measures by Member States, in a context that he described as particularly demanding.
Among the solutions under discussion are temporary limits on the price of gas, reduction of charges on energy bills and greater flexibility for governments to support companies and industrial sectors most exposed to high energy costs.
Energy market and structural response
The European Commission is also evaluating possible adjustments to the European carbon market and the use of strategic reserves, in an attempt to stabilize prices in the short term. At the same time, he insists that the fundamental answer is to accelerate investment in renewable energy, strengthen electrical networks and improve energy efficiency.
According to the same source, the package reflects an attempt to balance immediate measures with structural reforms, at a time when the energy crisis is already considered one of the most serious in recent decades, also driven by the international context and instability in the Middle East.
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