Von der Leyen calls for targeted energy aid and questions Spain’s fuel discount

Brussels backs aid aimed at those who need it most

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen called for aid in response to the energy crisis to be focused on vulnerable households and the sectors most exposed. In a speech before the European Parliament in Strasbourg on 6 October 2026, she argued that general subsidies can increase demand, also benefit people with high incomes and generate high public costs.

As an alternative, she cited energy voucher schemes for low-income families in France and Romania. Her support for this model expresses the Commission’s position; it does not in itself entail a change to the measures adopted by each Member State.

Criticism extends to Spain’s 20-cent discount

The statements call into question the approach behind the 20-cent-per-litre discount on petrol and diesel applied in Spain, described in reports as a measure of general scope, regardless of the income of the person filling up. The disagreement is therefore about how the aid is designed: Von der Leyen argues that support should be targeted, while Spain’s discount is not limited to low-income households.

The president attributed possible effects on demand and public spending to general aid. These are arguments she put forward, not a quantified assessment in her speech of the specific impact of Spain’s measure. The statements also do not annul or change national policy.

Energy costs and business vulnerability

Von der Leyen said that, since the end of February, the price of gas had risen by 140% and the price of diesel had doubled. She also put the additional cost to Europe of fossil fuel imports since the start of the war in Iran at 100 billion euros. These are figures the president presented in her speech to illustrate the pressure on households and businesses; on their own, they do not describe the specific impact on each country or company.

For businesses, the issue combines the immediate cost of energy with uncertainty over supplies and the course of international markets. Von der Leyen warned that the situation could worsen with the arrival of winter and argued for action both to ease short-term pressure and to reduce dependence on imported fossil fuels.

Joint purchasing and refineries among European proposals

The president proposed taking European coordination of energy purchasing further. The proposal is to move from facilitating contact between buyers and sellers to aggregating demand and commissioning purchases through a market operator. Von der Leyen presented the experience of joint purchasing initiated during the crisis linked to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine as a precedent; the new mechanism was presented as an initiative the EU wants to develop, not as a system already fully in place.

She also announced a strategic dialogue on European refineries, with the stated aim of reducing costs and securing supplies, including those needed for defence. The steps mentioned include relaxing European methane rules for exporters for one year and coordinating supply measures. She also argued for accelerating energy generation in Europe through renewables and nuclear energy, and for making progress on electrification.

These proposals fall within the scope of the European response to the crisis and are not equivalent to decisions on Spain’s discount or guarantees that costs will fall for each business. Their development and effects will depend on the measures ultimately agreed and implemented.