Central European leaders urge EU to slash electricity costs for industry

The prime ministers of Austria AT, the Czech Republic CZ, and Slovakia SK have issued a joint call to the European Union to lower electricity prices and implement reforms to the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS). This demand, raised today on February 10, 2026, comes immediately ahead of an informal EU leaders' summit where policy direction is expected to be discussed. The leaders, including Robert Fico, are pressing for these changes to safeguard the industrial/manufacturing sector from rising costs that they argue threaten its global standing.

The intervention is viewed as a significant development due to its timing and the scale of national leaders involved in pressing for change. The proposal targets structural mechanisms such as ETS1 and the newer ETS2, which are overseen by the European Commission. According to the leaders, electricity and carbon costs are the primary drivers of industry competitiveness. By addressing these factors, the prime ministers aim to stabilize cross-border market conditions that currently face pressure from international competitors in China CN and the United States US.