With the Strait of Hormuz closed again, hopes of a return to normality by May have given way to contingency plans. Europe is preparing for the energy crisis with containment measures. This is the so-called “Accelerate Eu”, a plan drawn up by the European Commission which aims to provide member countries with a series of measures to deal with the crisis which is already impacting everyday life.
These are measures such as intervening towards smart working by encouraging teleworking at least once a week, reducing the costs of public transport and energy vouchers for vulnerable families. The plan, still a draft, is a set of non-mandatory recommendations and each country will be able to decide whether to adopt them or not. Spain has already responded, saying it is against smart working. It is also the country that is suffering the least from the crisis and that has brought its energy model to Brussels.
Accelerate EU: what it is and when it arrives
Accelerate EU is the name of the plan on which the European Commission is working and which should officially see the light of day on 22 April 2026. It is a package of recommended, therefore not mandatory, measures to contain the impact of the energy crisis.
The theme is the reduction of overall consumption throughout the European Union and to do so the focus is on transport, domestic heating and work organisation. Even if on a voluntary basis, the measurement system describes a new model of energy consumption. The idea is to change citizens’ daily habits, for example with reduced transport ticket prices or teleworking.
The plan has no appropriations and aims to use already available resources such as European and national funds. More than a solution to the problem, Accelerate Eu presents itself as a series of recommendations to address the emergency in the short term and propose a more efficient and resilient model in the event of new emergencies or the continuation of the current one.
Mobility: public transport and smart working
With the price of oil rising and falling with each declaration on the Strait of Hormuz, greater accessibility to public transport is recommended among the measures. In the draft circulating online, republished in some extracts from Act And Handlereference is made to subsidized or free tariffs for the most vulnerable categories.
The watchword is “sustainable mobility” through public transport, but also cycling, micromobility and electrification. To reduce car travel, we are also aiming for limited traffic zones and car-free days in cities.
For the smart working chapter, however, it is recommended to encourage teleworking at least once a week, reducing consumption for companies and travel for workers.
Reduction of consumption: heating
The draft talks about containing domestic and public building consumption by intervening on heating and air conditioning. The efficiency of systems can be improved, but this process takes more time than implementing what are described as more conscious behaviors.
Among these:
- reduction of temperatures;
- shifting consumption off peak hours;
- plant optimization;
- interventions on the lighting of public buildings.
Support for families and businesses
Last but not least, the domestic and business consumption front. As for the most vulnerable families, the plan foresees the introduction of energy vouchers to lower prices or the impact of the increase in electricity and gas bill prices for lower incomes.
The European Commission has also recommended new tax incentives and subsidized leasing tools to encourage the spread of efficient technologies such as heat pumps, photovoltaic systems and low-consumption appliances.
Companies are responsible for the energy efficiency chapter, with incentives that allow them to replace obsolete or fossil fuel-based technologies and accelerate the ecological transition.
