London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Tuesday, Jul 22, 2025

Europe's energy crisis: EU 'too reliant on gas', says von der Leyen

Europe's energy crisis: EU 'too reliant on gas', says von der Leyen

The European Commission President said that a speedy transition to clean energy would make the EU less reliant on natural gas imports.
The European Commission's president told member states that they are "too reliant on gas" amid an ongoing energy crisis that has seen gas prices soar to record-high levels.

Ursula von der Leyen urged EU countries to ease their dependence on natural gas and emphasised the need for a Green Deal.

"A speedy transition to clean energy would also make the bloc a more independent global player," von der Leyen said.

The comments come on the eve of an EU summit centring on the recent spike in energy prices.

Speaking in Strasbourg on Wednesday, von der Leyen told the European Parliament that the bloc is "vulnerable" as it imports 90% of its gas -- much of it from Russia.

"Europe today is too reliant on gas and too dependent on gas imports," the Commission President told legislators.

"The answer has to do with diversifying our suppliers ... and, crucially, with speeding up the transition to clean energy."

Von der Leyen has urged the EU to push ahead on transitioning to clean energy from wind and sun, which can be domestically produced and will ultimately be a lot cheaper than imported fossil fuels.

The recent spike in gas prices has hit the EU’s most vulnerable families, and von der Leyen again called on member states to adapt taxes and levies on energy to shield the poorest citizens.

"The transition to clean energy is not only vital for our planet. It is also crucial for our economy and for the resilience to energy price shocks," she said.

The European Commission's Green Deal aims to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 55% by 2030 and make the bloc carbon neutral by 2050.

But Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has specifically blamed the hike in energy prices on the EU project.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
US Treasury Secretary Calls for Institutional Review of Federal Reserve Amid AI‑Driven Growth Expectations
UK Government Considers Dropping Demand for Apple Encryption Backdoor
Severe Flooding in South Korea Claims Lives Amid Ongoing Rescue Operations
Japanese Man Discovers Family Connection Through DNA Testing After Decades of Separation
Russia Signals Openness to Ukraine Peace Talks Amid Escalating Drone Warfare
Switzerland Implements Ban on Mammography Screening
Japanese Prime Minister Vows to Stay After Coalition Loses Upper House Majority
Pogacar Extends Dominance with Stage Fifteen Triumph at Tour de France
CEO Resigns Amid Controversy Over Relationship with HR Executive
Man Dies After Being Pulled Into MRI Machine Due to Metal Chain in New York Clinic
NVIDIA Achieves $4 Trillion Valuation Amid AI Demand
US Revokes Visas of Brazilian Corrupted Judges Amid Fake Bolsonaro Investigation
U.S. Congress Approves Rescissions Act Cutting Federal Funding for NPR and PBS
North Korea Restricts Foreign Tourist Access to New Seaside Resort
Brazil's Supreme Court Imposes Radical Restrictions on Former President Bolsonaro
Centrist Criticism of von der Leyen Resurfaces as she Survives EU Confidence Vote
Judge Criticizes DOJ Over Secrecy in Dropping Charges Against Gang Leader
Apple Closes $16.5 Billion Tax Dispute With Ireland
Von der Leyen Faces Setback Over €2 Trillion EU Budget Proposal
UK and Germany Collaborate on Global Military Equipment Sales
Trump Plans Over 10% Tariffs on African and Caribbean Nations
Flying Taxi CEO Reclaims Billionaire Status After Stock Surge
Epstein Files Deepen Republican Party Divide
Zuckerberg Faces $8 Billion Privacy Lawsuit From Meta Shareholders
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
SpaceX Nears $400 Billion Valuation With New Share Sale
Microsoft, US Lab to Use AI for Faster Nuclear Plant Licensing
Trump Walks Back Talk of Firing Fed Chair Jerome Powell
Zelensky Reshuffles Cabinet to Win Support at Home and in Washington
"Can You Hit Moscow?" Trump Asked Zelensky To Make Putin "Feel The Pain"
Irish Tech Worker Detained 100 days by US Authorities for Overstaying Visa
Dimon Warns on Fed Independence as Trump Administration Eyes Powell’s Succession
Church of England Removes 1991 Sexuality Guidelines from Clergy Selection
Superman Franchise Achieves Success with Latest Release
Hungary's Viktor Orban Rejects Agreements on Illegal Migration
Jeff Bezos Considers Purchasing Condé Nast as a Wedding Gift
Ghislaine Maxwell Says She’s Ready to Testify Before Congress on Epstein’s Criminal Empire
Bal des Pompiers: A Celebration of Community and Firefighter Culture in France
FBI Chief Kash Patel Denies Resignation Speculations Amid Epstein List Controversy
Air India Pilot’s Mental Health Records Under Scrutiny
Google Secures Windsurf AI Coding Team in $2.4 Billion Licence Deal
Jamie Dimon Warns Europe Is Losing Global Competitiveness and Flags Market Complacency
South African Police Minister Suspended Amid Organised Crime Allegations
Nvidia CEO Claims Chinese Military Reluctance to Use US AI Technology
Hong Kong Advances Digital Asset Strategy to Address Economic Challenges
Australia Rules Out Pre‑commitment of Troops, Reinforces Defence Posture Amid US‑China Tensions
Martha Wells Says Humanity Still Far from True Artificial Intelligence
Nvidia Becomes World’s First Four‑Trillion‑Dollar Company Amid AI Boom
U.S. Resumes Deportations to Third Countries After Supreme Court Ruling
Excavation Begins at Site of Mass Grave for Children at Former Irish Institution
×