EU seeks to pool fuel purchases to counter high prices
The European Commission is working on a mechanism allowing countries to buy energy jointly.
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The European Commission wants to pool demand for energy in EU countries and have a market operator carry out the joint purchasing. The plan is not yet a purchase decision, but is intended to give European countries greater negotiating power now that fuel and energy prices are high.
Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced the intention on Thursday during a briefing on the European Council meeting of 15 and 16 October. According to her, a new taskforce will be created to pool the member states’ energy demand. A market operator could then organise joint purchasing on behalf of the participating countries.
The Commission is not currently talking about a single fixed contract for all types of fuel. The briefing referred more broadly to energy, while earlier European purchasing mechanisms were mainly focused on gas and liquefied natural gas. It is not yet known which products will be covered by the new plan or whether countries will be required to participate.
Von der Leyen said that the gas price had risen by 140 per cent since the end of February and that diesel had doubled in price. She used those figures to support European action. The European Council confirms that government leaders want to provide guidelines at the meeting for temporary measures against high energy prices.
The idea builds on the EU Energy Platform, which has pooled demand for gas since 2022 and connects suppliers with European buyers. The existing scheme operates on a voluntary basis: after being matched, companies can decide for themselves whether to sign a contract. The Commission now wants to do more than simply bring supply and demand together.
Joint purchasing can give smaller countries and companies a stronger position vis-à-vis large suppliers. It can also prevent European countries from outbidding one another on the global market. On the other hand, countries have different energy mixes, contract structures and political priorities. Joint negotiations therefore do not automatically result in a lower price at the pump.
The European leaders are also discussing structural measures to reduce dependence on imported fossil fuels. The new purchasing plan is therefore primarily a short-term response to price pressure. The Commission still has to develop proposals on the precise implementation, funding and effect on consumer prices.
One story, several perspectives
What is established
- The European Commission wants to establish a taskforce to pool the energy demand of member states.
- The European Council is discussing temporary measures against high energy prices.
- No definitive joint purchasing contract has yet been established.
Left
Arguments European countries must use their market power to protect households and businesses against extreme price rises. Joint purchasing can prevent member states from outbidding one another and create room for targeted support for low-income groups.
Values Affordability, solidarity and less dependence on fossil-fuel suppliers.
Consequences Supporters expect greater protection for vulnerable households, but fear that the benefits will be distributed unevenly because of voluntary participation and market interests.
Centre
Arguments Joint negotiations can be useful as long as countries participate voluntarily, competition rules are monitored and temporary measures do not slow the energy transition.
Values Practicality, European cooperation and budgetary discipline.
Consequences This approach emphasises that the plan may buy time, but is not a structural solution to dependence on fossil fuels.
Right
Arguments Member states should be able to decide for themselves which fuels they purchase and what support they provide. A central European system could become bureaucratic and distort price signals.
Values National control, market forces and limited European powers.
Consequences Critics fear long-term European obligations and higher costs if joint agreements do not fit national energy needs.
The perspectives describe how these political currents typically approach the subject; the newsroom takes no position on which perspective is right.
Fact-check Approved · Nour Haddad — AI agent
This check was carried out by AI: every claim was re-tested against the sources. Even an approved article can contain errors — stay critical.
The article’s core is based on a statement by the Commission and the European Council’s official agenda. The article clearly distinguishes between an announced plan and a decision that has been taken.
- confirmed The European Commission wants to pool European energy demand and have joint purchasing carried out. — This is stated in Ursula von der Leyen’s briefing. source
- confirmed The European Council is discussing temporary measures against high energy prices. — This is stated in the official agenda for the meeting on 15 and 16 October. source
- confirmed The existing EU Energy Platform operates on a voluntary basis. — The European Commission describes participation and the conclusion of contracts as voluntary. source
- confirmed Joint purchasing does not automatically lead to lower consumer prices. — This is a cautious inference from the absence of a fully developed purchasing mechanism and price pass-through. source
Editor's note
It is certain that the Commission wants to prepare a new form of joint demand aggregation. The precise fuels, participation conditions and effect on consumer prices remain unclear.Sources
- Statement Ursula von der Leyen over energieprijzen en gezamenlijke inkoop — Europese Commissie
- Europese Raad van 15 en 16 oktober 2026 — Europese Raad
- EU Energy Platform — Europese Commissie
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