EU warns of costly winter without energy shortages
Energy Commissioner Dan Jørgensen calls for temporary support for vulnerable households and businesses, but wants to maintain the green course.
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The coming winter could be financially difficult for European households and businesses because of high energy prices. According to EU Energy Commissioner Dan Jørgensen, there is currently no general energy shortage, but prices remain a serious problem.
Jørgensen warned on Wednesday that the energy crisis could worsen in the coming months. He referred to high diesel and gas prices and the pressure that energy bills are placing on households and energy-intensive businesses.
The European Commission reported last week that gas supplies for the winter are sufficiently robust, despite lower storage levels than in previous years. According to the Commission, European infrastructure can absorb higher imports of liquefied natural gas. That does not mean energy is affordable, but it does mean that a physical shortage is not the baseline scenario.
According to reporting by Ritzau, republished by outlets including the Copenhagen Post, diesel prices have doubled since February and gas prices have risen by 140 per cent. These figures are linked to disruption in the energy market following the escalation surrounding Iran and the Strait of Hormuz. The exact effects vary by fuel, contract and country.
Jørgensen also referred to a European figure of around 47 million people who struggle to heat their homes adequately in an average winter. He therefore called for temporary and targeted support for vulnerable households and businesses, rather than broad subsidies that would also reach people and companies that do not need them.
According to the reports, options on the table include joint European procurement, releasing oil reserves and possible deferments relating to parts of the methane rules. Germany, Spain and Italy also want a European levy on exceptionally high energy profits. The Commission does not appear to be proposing such a joint levy itself, but it does not rule out national measures.
The debate also affects industry. High gas and electricity prices push up production costs and may lead companies to reduce their consumption or postpone production. This could lower demand for energy, but it could also affect employment, investment and the competitiveness of European companies.
The political choice is therefore not only how much support should be provided, but also how that support should be designed. A broad price reduction can provide rapid relief, but costs more public money and may discourage energy saving. Targeted support limits those disadvantages, but is more complicated to implement and leaves the high market price intact for many users.
For the Netherlands, the warning mainly means that European developments feed through into fuel, gas and electricity markets. At the same time, the Commission stresses that the structural solution does not lie in continued dependence on fossil-fuel imports, but in more domestic renewable energy, better grids and lower demand.
One story, several perspectives
What is established
- The European Commission does not currently expect a general gas-supply crisis this winter.
- According to the Commission and the Energy Commissioner, energy prices remain high.
- Jørgensen is calling for temporary, targeted support for vulnerable households and businesses.
- Countries disagree on broad subsidies, taxes on windfall profits and the speed of climate rules.
Left
Arguments The government should actively protect households and energy-intensive businesses from energy poverty. Support should be targeted at people on low incomes and linked to insulation, renewable energy and structural savings.
Values Social justice, affordability and a rapid climate transition.
Consequences Targeted support can protect vulnerable groups without prolonging dependence on fossil fuels, but requires greater implementation capacity.
Centre
Arguments A combination of temporary support, stable gas supplies and investment in grids and renewable energy is the most workable option. The government should limit market distortions and keep the European single market together.
Values Stability, affordability and gradual reform.
Consequences This approach can cushion the shock, but offers no quick solution to structurally higher European energy costs.
Right
Arguments The first priority should be affordable energy and competitiveness. Temporary tax cuts and room for fossil fuels could help businesses and households more quickly than new climate obligations.
Values Purchasing power, economic growth and national policy space.
Consequences Rapid price reductions can limit social and industrial damage, but increase the risk of higher public costs and delayed decarbonisation.
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 text distinguishes between a stable physical supply and high market prices, as the European Commission and Ritzau do. Price data and policy options are attributed to sources and are not presented as certain predictions about Dutch energy bills.
- confirmed The European Commission considers gas supplies for the winter sufficiently robust despite lower storage levels. — This is stated in the Commission's communication of 8 October 2026. source
- confirmed Dan Jørgensen warned on 14 October of a financially difficult winter. — Ritzau and the Copenhagen Post reported his warning. source
- confirmed Diesel prices have doubled since February and gas prices have risen by 140 per cent. — These figures are mentioned in Ritzau's reporting; the text explicitly attributes them to that source. source
- confirmed Around 47 million Europeans struggle to heat their homes adequately in an average winter. — Jørgensen cites this figure in a European Parliament transcript; the source warns that the transcript was generated automatically. source
- confirmed Germany, Spain and Italy are calling for a European levy on exceptionally high energy profits. — This was reported by Ritzau via the Copenhagen Post. source
- confirmed The European Commission wants to maintain the green course and reduce fossil-fuel imports. — The Commission links winter preparedness and energy policy to diversification, lower demand and the energy transition. source
Editor's note
The warning from Jørgensen, the official assessment that EU supplies are stable for the time being and the proposed temporary support are certain. The price rises and the figure of 47 million people have been mentioned by the media and European institutions; they describe averages and are not a forecast for every country.Sources
- EU gas system prepared for the winter despite lower storage levels — Europese Commissie
- EU warns of worsening energy costs as winter approaches — The Copenhagen Post / Ritzau
- Dan Jørgensen: Vinteren vil forværre alvorlig energisituation — Ritzau via dk-sundhed.dk
- EP Plenary Session Empowering Europeans to address the cost-of-living crisis — Europees Parlement
More on this in Dutch media
- NU.nl — „energieprijzen europese unie”
- De Telegraaf — „energieprijzen europese unie”
- Trouw — „energieprijzen europese unie”