On 11 June, the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC)'s Section for Transport, Energy, Infrastructure and the Information Society (TEN) and the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Energy (DG ENER) joined forces to hold a conference on Delivering affordable energy in Europe in Brussels.

The event emphasised that the EU must be able to produce energy more inclusively and affordably and Europeans must be able to play an active role, including in rural areas. To this end, the EU must focus on consumer engagement, protection for vulnerable people and sustainable investment.

Speaking at the conference, TEN president Baiba Miltoviča said: ‘People at risk of poverty or social exclusion are confronted with disproportionate challenges in accessing energy. In recent years, the vulnerability of our energy system has become more than evident. Our aim is to boost Europe’s strategic autonomy and competitiveness and achieve a greener and more sustainable economy and society. We are committed to developing a strategy for affordable, secure and sustainable energy that promotes the active role of consumers and ensures fairness for the most vulnerable.’

The EESC has been working on these issues for a long time and has held an annual conference since 2021 to take stock of the situation.

Energy poverty remains a major concern for Europeans, although in 2024 EU measures resulted in a fall in the number of Europeans unable to keep their homes warm enough for the first time since 2021. According to Eurostat, in 2024 energy poverty impacted 9.2% of Europeans, compared to 10.6% in 2023, 9.3% in 2022 and 6.9% in 2021.

To try to protect vulnerable consumers from having their electricity supply disconnected, the European Commission presented the Affordable Energy Action Plan in February 2025 as part of the Clean Industrial Deal. The plan focuses on reducing energy prices for citizens, businesses and communities across the EU and proposes a series of measures to lower energy bills, fast-track cost-saving and step up structural reforms for our energy system.