Ribera is committed to concentrating fuel aid in the sectors and families that need it most

MADRID, 14 Nov.

Ribera is committed to concentrating fuel aid in the sectors and families that need it most

MADRID, 14 Nov. (EUROPA PRESS) -

The third vice-president of the Government and minister for the Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge, Teresa Ribera, has been in favor of the 20-euro fuel bonus ceasing to be generalized in the event that it is extended beyond the 31st of December and focus on the sectors and families that need it most.

"The subsidy of 20 cents per liter was an emergency decision this summer, with very high fuel prices, in which the quick reaction required it to be a generalized and easily applied measure, but it is increasingly important to concentrate the effort in those who need it most, either for professional reasons, or because of the family's income level", he pointed out.

Ribera, in statements to RNE collected by Europa Press, recalled that the Government is studying which of the measures that were adopted to alleviate the consequences of the war should be extended "throughout the year 2023, which should be nuanced and which should be reinforced ". That, he has specified, forces the Executive "to think how far and how" the fuel aid will continue to be used.

Ribera has stressed that the establishment of free transport passes is a "more inclusive" measure than the fuel discount, which was adopted at a very specific time. "We know that before the summer it was impossible to be precise and discriminate between families, but at this time we have been learning how to concentrate the fiscal and budget effort in those areas in which it is most efficient and fair", he defended.

The Third Vice President has insisted that fossil fuels should not be subsidized, nor should they be given favorable tax treatment, as this is a fundamental principle for promoting the transformation of the energy system.

However, he is aware that this cannot happen "overnight and with skyrocketing prices" and that it must be affordable for families. "A fair transition is needed also with consumers," she explained.

"For us it is very important to make it easier for the entire transformation of the energy system to be affordable by families. The price signal is important, but it cannot be an insurmountable barrier from the point of view of social inclusion", he emphasized.

On the other hand, the third vice president has insisted that the deadline for renewable energy projects to obtain administrative permits will not be extended beyond January 25.

"I assume that the public administrations will be responsible and will resolve the procedures and reports that we are requesting from the General State Administration within the deadline", said the vice president, who has asked that "the expectation that there will be more time not be fed because there won't be."

Ribera has stated that he has already spoken with all the autonomous communities so that, after an extension was already adopted in November of last year, they resolve these files before the current deadline ends on January 25.

Ribera has highlighted the importance of disposing of these files since, today, what exists is a "collapse and paralysis" of the capacity to use transport infrastructure "which does not benefit anyone".

For this reason, it has asked the public administrations to differentiate between serious projects and those that are not and to speed up the resolution of the files, since the promoters "have the right to a reasoned solution as to why a project is viable or not. ".

The electricity sector has warned that, if the temporary milestones established by the Government to maintain access and connection permits are not relaxed, guarantees of up to 100 gigawatts (GW) could expire and be executed, due to potential non-compliance with deadlines.

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