Brussels is urging companies across the bloc to mandate at least one remote working day per week as part of a fresh package of measures to ease soaring energy costs triggered by conflict in the Middle East.
The Financial Times reports that the European Commission plans to present member states with a series of recommendations next week aimed at cutting energy demand, boosting efficiency, and accelerating the shift to cleaner power sources.
According to details reported in recent weeks, the proposals draw heavily from tactics used during the 2022 energy shock following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
At the heart of the plan is a call for businesses to implement compulsory remote working where feasible, specifically at least one day per week. Officials also recommend subsidizing public transport, lowering VAT on heat pumps, boilers, and solar panels, and closing public buildings when possible to reduce consumption.
The measures seek to provide “immediate relief” amid volatile prices and supply concerns linked to disruptions in the Middle East, including impacts from the Iran conflict that have added billions to Europe’s energy import bill.
Energy Commissioner Dan Jørgensen has publicly urged Europeans to work from home, drive and fly less, and embrace other fuel-saving behaviors, echoing advice from the International Energy Agency. In speeches and letters to energy ministers, he has warned of a potentially “prolonged” crisis with no quick return to normal, even if hostilities ease.
Echoes of the 2022 crisis
The latest recommendations mirror steps taken during the previous energy crunch. Back in 2022, the Commission encouraged lowering thermostats by one degree and other voluntary conservation efforts.
This time around, the focus includes more structured pushes, such as mandatory remote work days for suitable roles, alongside incentives for green technologies.
Brussels is also setting “ambitious”, though not yet fully detailed, targets for electrification.
To support this, the Commission plans to help member states develop “social leasing schemes” for items like heat pumps, electric vehicles, and small-scale batteries, making clean tech more accessible to households and businesses.
Officials have noted that these are recommendations, not binding mandates. “If we face energy shortages, it’s our responsibility to make sure citizens know what they can do to cut back usage,” one EU source told reporters. “We’re not micromanaging people’s lives.”
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