France Mulls Steps to Ease Crisis for Energy-Intensive Companies

摘要

France is considering measures to ease the burden on manufacturers struggling to cope with high energy prices, including short-term aid and longer-term plans such as new regulation ofnuclear power sales, according to government officials.The country and its neighbors are trying to find ways to overhaul market rules as a gas-supply crunch recently pushed the cost of the fuel and electricity to records, prompting tradegroups representing energy-intensive companies to call for emergency relief.The French government is considering ways to trim the cost of carbon dioxide emissions paid by manufacturers that are most exposed to non-European competition, officials at theecology ministry said, speaking on the condition they wouldn’t be named. An already-announced tax cut on electricity consumption will curb manufacturers’ bills by 200 million euros($233 million) next year, they said.