EU urged to prioritise tackling energy poverty

When a family is not able to afford the costs of keeping its house warm and the lights on, it is hit by 'fuel poverty' or 'energy poverty'. In many ways this is not different from other kinds of poverty, but if the economic problems comes from raising energy costs and the energy bill is a large part of household expenditures, it is reasonable to look for energy - related solutions. This can be increasing energy efficiency or cheaper energy.

With the EU market regulations adopted in 2009 all countries have to include consumer protection for vulnerable consumers when they implement amendments of electricity and gas market directives , which has a deadline of 3 March, 2011. INFORSE-Europe urges that the countries in doing this use the opportunities to bring consumers out of energy poverty with energy efficiency, and that they stop tariffs that penalise small consumers with high fixed charges or similar structures.

Website: INFORSE Europe http://www.inforse.org/europe/index.htm

INFORSE Europe: Position Paper: Energy security, December 2009 http://www.inforse.org/europe/EU_energypoverty.htm

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