Commissioner for Energy Dan Jørgensen, in a written answer on 12 June 2026, signalled that the upcoming Electrification Action Plan will include an electrification target and measures to accelerate uptake, but placed the primary responsibility for lowering industrial electricity prices on member states. The answer, responding to a question from MEP Dan-Ştefan Motreanu (PPE), comes after an alliance of 13 major industrial players warned in February 2026 that high electricity costs undermine competitiveness and called for a reference price of EUR 50/MWh. Jørgensen noted that electricity prices are determined by energy costs, infrastructure charges, taxes, levies and carbon costs, and that member states can influence these through accelerating renewable investments, modifying tax regimes, or using state aid.
He highlighted the Clean Industrial Deal State Aid Framework, which allows temporary electricity price reliefs for energy-intensive users, and the EUR 1 billion Innovation Fund auction launched in 2025, which attracted 85 bids. The Commission has committed to a legal proposal on network charges and taxation to ensure electricity is taxed less than gas. The answer offers no specific commitment to the EUR 50/MWh target, instead framing price convergence as a member state responsibility. The Electrification Action Plan, expected later in 2026, will set an electrification target but does not yet detail how it will address industrial price levels. The response leaves energy-intensive industries and member states as the key stakeholders: industries face continued uncertainty over price relief, while member states gain flexibility but also the burden of action. The Innovation Fund pilot signals EU-level support for industrial decarbonisation, but at a scale far below the investment needs implied by the 13-industry alliance's demands.
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