Paris (AFP)

The government, faced with a surge in energy prices, and in particular gas, will announce, in addition to the exceptional check of 100 euros for low-income households, new measures "before the end of October", told the AFP on Tuesday a government source.

"I do not want to go into details but we are working on additional measures", had already announced Tuesday morning on Europe 1 the spokesman of the government Gabriel Attal, without giving details on the deadlines.

Noting that "the increases are accelerating", the executive therefore seeks to "anticipate" to "mitigate the effect of these increases" and will announce new measures "before the end of October," said a government source.

According to this source, these measures aimed at households but also at companies, would not necessarily be tax levers (VAT) or a new extension to the energy check, but could concern upstream smoothing mechanisms in the construction of the price.

On Monday, the energy regulator announced a 12.6% increase including tax on October 1 in regulated gas prices applied by Engie, in the wake of rising market prices.

"Today, there are indeed energy prices which are increasing in France and among our neighbors due to a very strong economic recovery", underlined Mr. Attal.

After the "measures taken on purchasing power (...) in addition to the energy check that has been increased by 100 euros for 6 million households, we are obviously considering other measures, in particular with regard to the price. gas, ”he added.

Prices are at high levels in Europe for various reasons: low stocks, high demand in Asia, inability of Norway and Russia to increase their deliveries.

The subject is all the more thorny as an increase in regulated electricity prices should normally follow early next year.

Discussions are underway, the president of the Energy Regulatory Commission (CRE) said on Tuesday, warning against the forecasts.

“We still have to work all October, all November, until December 15, there is a budget that will be voted in Parliament, prices that will arrive, there are negotiations that are underway. time to talk about it, but time to think about it, "said Jean-François Carenco on BFM Business.

This surge in energy sparked strong political reactions on Tuesday.

"What is most scandalous (...) is that thanks to taxes and VAT, the more the French suffocate, the more the State becomes richer", said on Twitter the candidate RN to the presidential Marine Le Pen.

"It's a social time bomb that will come very quickly, like the + yellow vests +", warned on France 2 the former minister Ségolène Royal.

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