EC to help Bulgaria curb reliance on Russian fossil fuels
The European Commission (EC) said on April 6 that it would offer technical support to help 17 EU countries, among them Bulgaria, to phase out their reliance on Russian fossil fuels, in line with the REPowerEU plan for more affordable, secure and sustainable energy.
“The technical expertise will help member states to identify and implement the best policy reforms and investments in areas such as diversifying energy supplies, accelerating the transition to renewable energy and increasing energy efficiency, in order to reach these joint European ambitions,” the EC said.
Member states that requested and will receive this support over the coming months are Belgium, Bulgaria, Czechia, Estonia, Ireland, Greece, Spain, Croatia, Italy, Cyprus, Hungary, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Slovakia and Finland, the Commission said.
European Commissioner for Cohesion and Reforms, Elisa Ferreira, said: “Alongside the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine, member states are confronted with an unprecedented energy crisis.
“The Technical Support Instrument will provide targeted, tailor-made and timely support to each of these member states’ rapidly changing needs,” Ferreira said.
On March 21 2022, in the aftermath of Russia’s aggression to Ukraine, the Commission launched a dedicated call inviting EU countires to express their interest in receiving technical support.
All the requests submitted by the member states have been assessed and approved by the Commission, the EC said.
The expertise is provided under the Technical Support Instrument (TSI), managed by the Commission.
It will support phasing out EU countries’ reliance on Russian fossil fuels and help in mitigating price shocks in the medium term, including by accelerating the EU’s green transition, while taking the interregional and cross-border dimensions into account, the statement said.
(Photo: Jayesh Nair)
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