In his latest European Council, Mario Draghi made a speech that diplomatic sources defined as "clear" if not "hard" to remind the partners of the urgency to make a decision, even more so with the "recession" that the continent is experiencing. start to face.
There is an action plan that has been under discussion for months that provides for the price cap on gas and a whole series of initiatives against high prices, a plan that, although sweetened, compared to Italy's request, still finds resistance among some countries, in the lead. Germany and Holland.
Draghi insisted on the urgency of a sizable mutual fund that could be used not only for investments, but also to mitigate prices.
"Member States must have a common spending capacity to defend the level playingfield. It is not a question of solidarity but of safeguarding the internal market".
The premier also underlined the urgency of adopting measures that affect the dynamics of prices, such as the introduction of a price cap and a reform of the electricity market.
The risk - he pointed out - is that of a fragmentation of the market which can have negative repercussions on European unity if the countries that have greater fiscal space operate independently.
And Draghi, in his speech, also hinged on the recession phase that Europe is about to go through.
Also from the source in Brussels, we learn that according to the Italian premier, the conclusions of the European Council, in draft, "are not balanced".
They are asked to give "solidarity" in the sharing of energy, but "there is no solidarity" on the requests to "contain prices" for gas.
The "conclusions" of the European Council to the proposals of the "Commission" provide for a series of "precise obligations" on the sharing of gas supplies: the mandatory 15%, rules for sharing in the event of shortages, and so on.
But, says Draghi, "there are no concrete decisions" on the immediate adoption of the price ceiling, on budget solidarity, on the immediate implementation of the Iberian model, on the reform of the market.
The first points are "precise and adoptable", but "there is nothing specific about prices".
A long night of work is expected in Brussels, with an unexpected outcome.