Policy Brief – Supporting Households in the Energy Price Crisis

In this policy brief, EUKI project Socially Just Carbon Pricing Policies in Central and Eastern Europe analyses and compares different relief measures taken at the national level to support households in the energy price crisis in Germany, Poland, and Romania.

Since the second half of 2021, European consumers have experienced a rise in energy prices, mainly caused by an increase in the price of natural gas due to production shortages after the Covid-19 pandemic and the Russian invasion of Ukraine. EU memberstates have sought to mitigate the effects of the price increase for households and businesses, implementing a range of different measures. This policy brief aims to assess national measures taken in Germany, Poland and Romania by analysing whether they were efficient, effective, had a long-lasting impact and reached those most in need. Finally, it aims to derive recommendations about which measures should be used in similar situations in the future.