At the Energy Council Meeting in Luxemburg, Hungary was represented by Prof. Dr. László Palkovics Minister for Innovation and Industry and by Péter Szijjártó Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
The Council adopted ambitious proposals on the energy efficiency and the renewable energy directive, which will contribute not only to the 55% emission reduction target for 2030, but also to the strengthening of energy security, which is particularly important in the current geopolitical situation. Minister László Palkovics supported the proposals and emphasized the importance of the affordability and accessibility of energy. The Minister emphasized that of the most effective solutions to reach this goal is to increase energy efficiency. Hungary has supported the provisions for reducing energy consumption because "the unused energy is the cheapest and best energy".
With regards to renewable energy sources, he emphasized that the local use of such energy not only contributes to greening the environment and affordability, but also to creating energy independence.
The Council also discussed the European energy situation and outlook in the light of the ongoing was in Ukraine. The ministers have agreed to intensify their efforts to diversify their energy sources, strive to reduce their energy consumption and continue to fill the European gas storages. Minister Szijjártó informed the Council, that Hungary is storing 500 million cubic metres of natural gas for Serbia, which can be retrieved from 1 October 2022. The ministers have also taken note of the European Commission’s report on its activities concerning international energy relations and also welcomed the approval of the EU gas storage regulation.
