Since its inception, the war in Ukraine has had a considerable impact on energy prices, especially gas. According to a report by the International Monetary Fund published in early August 2022, the rise in energy prices, already visible since January 2021, has rapidly worsened with the conflict and is further weakening the most precarious households.
On March 7, 2022 (a week and a half after the start of the war), the price of the futures contract had reached 345 euros, recalls Euronews. On August 19, 2022, the announcement of the interruption of deliveries via the NordStream 1 network by the Russian gas company Gazprom raised its price to an unprecedented high: 257.40 euros. This interruption is scheduled between August 31 and September 2, 2022 for “maintenance” reasons, Gazprom said in a statement. “At the end of this work and in the absence of technical malfunctions, gas deliveries will be restored to a level of 33 million m3 of gas per day. “, adds the gasman. The company will be assisted in particular by Siemens technicians.
Accused of taking gas hostage, Russia, which accounts for 45% of gas imports from the European Union, has already cut its supplies several times. Several European countries are still very dependent on it, such as Germany, Finland, Hungary and the Czech Republic. In Germany, according to a report published on August 19, 2022 by the Federal Statistical Office taken up by Reuters, energy costs have risen by 105% year on year, mainly due to the increase in natural gas prices. , up 163.8% over the year. In Sweden, the government promised on August 17, 2022 compensation of 60 billion crowns (5.7 billion euros) for consumers and businesses; a concrete proposal will be made on November 15, 2022 to define when and in what form it will be made. In Hungary, wages were increased by 20% and a thirteenth month was reintroduced. In its report, the International Monetary Fund advocates “resolutely moving away from general measures in favor of targeted aid policies, including income support for the most vulnerable. »
If France introduced a budgetary shield in 2021 on gas prices, the device “is not sustainable in the long term because it does not target the most precarious and requires significant funding” according to Christophe Bonnery, president of the Association of Energy Economists (AEE) interviewed by Ouest-France. The President of the Republic, who had prepared the French for a complicated return to school due (among other things) to soaring energy prices, reiterated on August 19 during a speech in Bormes-les-Mimosas (Var) , calling on them to “agree to pay the price of freedom”.
