English Version :
Malta has successfully negotiated another derogation from a European Commission proposal that imposes on member states mandatory reductions in electricity consumption. This derogation was sealed by Minister for the Environment, Energy and Enterprise Miriam Dalli, in negotiations held during the extraordinary Energy Council that was held today in Brussels. This derogation was important for Malta, as a country that is heavily dependent on electricity. Any mandatory reduction in electricity demand would have a negative impact on families and businesses. This is the third derogation that Malta obtained in this sector. Last August, the Energy Council agreed on 15% mandatory reductions in gas consumption. Malta had convinced the European Commission that due to our island peculiarities, Malta should not carry this additional burden. And last year, Malta also successfully negotiated another derogation by which the proposed gas pipeline retained its status as a Project of Common Interest.
The last proposals presented by the European Commission are aimed at addressing energy supply issues that Europe is currently facing, issues that are set to escalate as gas consumption in winter increases. Despite Malta’s successes in obtaining these derogations, the government remains committed to encourage and incentivise the public sector, the private sector, and households to reduce energy waste and increase their energy efficiency.
Speaking to the media ahead of the meeting, Minister Dalli expressed concern that the European Commission’s proposed measures would not alleviate the problem for all member states. Malta is pushing for a solution to lower gas prices, as the current proposals do not contribute to this aim.
The European Commission proposal stipulates a 10% mandatory reduction in electricity consumption and other reductions when demand is at its peak. During peak demand, the proposal specifies that consumption has to be 5% of gross electricity compared to the previous five years. This regulation would require the issuing of tenders by the private sector to compete in reducing their consumption while seeking compensation for the business lost during the hours when consumption has to be reduced. The entity that seeks the lowest amount of compensation would win the tender and have to reduce consumption to equal to the amount declared in the tendering process. Such a measure is expected to affect business competitiveness negatively and could also result in lower productivity which would affect employment.
Addressing the Council meeting, Minister Dalli stressed the importance that only those measures that can directly lead to a reduction in electricity prices should be implemented. Malta imports around 20% of its electricity from the interconnector with Sicily. However, those prices are amongst the highest in the EU. Minister Dalli emphasised the need to analyse gas consumption reduction measures properly. “We need to heed our peoples’ concerns, families, businesses and industries. As a Union, we cannot jeopardise the competitiveness of the whole European economy that would result in lower investments and risking livelihoods”, she stated.
Malta is one of the 15 EU member states pushing for a cap on gas prices to lower electricity prices derived from gas-generated production. The idea is to cap prices dynamically, as opposed to a fixed capping, which would be tied to non-EU indexes so that while the EU would remain attractive for LNG producers, it would eliminate prevailing market speculation.
Maltese Version :
Il-Gvern Malti jinnegozja b’suċċess deroga oħra għal Malta minn liġi Ewropea li tobbliga tnaqqis obbligatorju fl-użu tal-elettriku
Għal darb’oħra, Malta reġgħet kisbet deroga minn regoli tal-Kummissjoni Ewropea li jobbligaw lill-istati membri biex inaqqsu l-użu tal-elettriku tagħhom. Din id-deroga nkisbet illum mill-Ministru għall-Ambjent, l-Enerġija u l-Intrapriża Miriam Dalli waqt negozjati fi Brussell waqt laqgħa tal-Ministri tal-Enerġija li ssejħet b’urġenza. Din id-deroga hija importanti għal Malta għaliex bħala pajjiż li jiddependi ħafna fuq l-elettriku, kwalunkwe impożizzjoni biex tonqos id-domanda tal-elettriku jkollha impatt negattiv fuq il-familji u n-negozji. Din hija t- tielet deroga li Malta kibset f’dan il-qasam. F’Awwissu li għadda, il-Kunsill tal-Enerġija qabel ma’ tnaqqis mandatorju ta’ 15% fil-konsum tal-gass. Hawnhekk, Malta kkonvinċiet lill-Kummissjoni Ewropea li ma titgħabbiex b’dan l-obbligu. Is-sena li għaddiet, Malta nnegozjat deroga oħra li permezz tagħha l-pipeline tal- gass baqa’ jikkwalifika bħala proġett ta’ interess komuni.
Dan l-aħħar pakkett ta’ proposti mill-Kummissjoni Ewropea huwa intiż li jipprova jtaffi l-problema ta’ provvista li qed tiffaċċja l-Ewropa, problema li mistennija teskala matul ix-xhur tax-xitwa hekk kif jiżdied il-konsum tal- gass. Minkejja li Malta kisbet dawn id-derogi, il-Gvern huwa kommess li jkompli jħeġġeġ u jinċentiva lis-settur pubbliku, lis-settur privat u anke lid-djar biex tiżdied l-effiċjenza fl-użu tal-enerġija u tonqos il-ħela.
F’kummenti lill-mezzi tax-xandir fi Brussell, il-Ministru Dalli esprimiet l-appoġġ ta’ Malta favur soluzzjonijiet li jnaqqsu l-prezz tal-gass. Saħqet li dak li qed jiġi propost mhuwiex biżżejjed biex itaffi l-problema li qed jaffaċċjaw l-istati membri. Għalhekk li Malta flimkien ma’ 14-il stat membru ieħor qiegħda tinsisti li għandu jkun hemm aktar soluzzjonijiet Ewropej biex jittaffa l-effett negattiv fuq kull pajjiż, inkluż Malta.
Il-proposta tal-Kummissjoni Ewropea, barra li tħeġġeġ tnaqqis ta’ 10% fl-użu tal-elettriku, tobbliga li l-istati membri jridu jagħmlu tnaqqis ieħor fil-ħinijiet li l-prezz ikun l-ogħla. F’dawk is-sigħat, it-tnaqqis fil-konsum għandu jkun ta’ 5% tal-elettriku gross meta kkumparat mal-ħames snin ta’ qabel. Biex jitħaddem dan ir- regolament, il-pajjiżi membri jridu joħorġu kuntratti biex l-intrapriżi jikkompetu biex inaqqsu l-konsum u jitolbu kumpens għat-telf ta’ negozju f’dawk is-sigħat. Min jitlob l-inqas kumpens jirbaħ il-kuntratt u jkollu jnaqqas il- konsumskontkemmtefa’fit-tender. Danmistennijaffettwal-kompettitivitàtal-intrapriżiusaħansitrajoħloqtelf ta’ produzzjoni li jista’ jirriżulta f’telf ta’ eluf ta’ impjiegi madwar l-Ewropa kollha.
Waqt il-Kunsill tal-Enerġija, Miriam Dalli saħqet li għandhom jiġu adottati dawk il-proposti li verament kapaċi jgħinu jbaxxu l-prezz tal-elettriku. Fil-każ ta’ Malta, fejn 20% tal-elettriku ġej mill-interconnector minn Sqallija,
il-prezzijiet li bihom tixtri l-elettriku huma fost l-ogħla fl-Unjoni Ewropea. Il-Ministru Dalli spjegat li trid issir analiżi serja tal-miżuri li jnaqqsu l-użu tal-gass. “Irridu nagħtu kas tan-nies li nirrappreżentaw, tal-familji, in- negozji u l-industriji. Bħala Unjoni Ewropea ma nistgħux inpoġġu ruħna f’sitwazzjoni fejn nirriskjaw il- kompetittività tal-kontinent, bir-riżultat li nimbuttaw ’il barra l-imprendituri tagħna jew inħallu sitwazzjonijiet fejn nipperikolaw l-impjiegi ta’ bosta ħaddiema,” qalet Dr Dalli.
Malta hija waħda minn 15-il pajjiż li qed timbotta ’l quddiem il-proposta ta’ capping fuq il-prezz tal-gass, bil- għan li l-elettriku li jiġi ġġenerat mill-gass ma jibqax bil-prezzijiet esaġerati li hemm illum. L-idea li l-iktar li qed issib appoġġ tħares lejn kappa fil-prezzijiet minflok tkun fissa, tkun waħda dinamika, marbuta ma’ indiċi ta’ swieq barra l-Ewropa, b’tali mod li l-Ewropa xorta tibqa’ suq attraenti għall-produtturi tal-LNG iżda li tevita l- ispekulazzjoni li hemm fis-suq bħalissa.