European Union energy ministers left a plan to change grid charges and electricity taxes unresolved after Oct. 29 talks, while an intraday Dutch gas futures trade above €100 per megawatt-hour put household energy costs in focus.
S&P Global Energy reported that the November 2026 Dutch TTF natural gas futures contract traded at €100.425 per megawatt-hour at 11:03 a.m. ET (15:03 UTC) on Oct. 28, citing Intercontinental Exchange (ICE) data. Separately, S&P said its Platts month-ahead TTF index was last assessed above €100 per megawatt-hour on Dec. 20, 2022. The index assessment and the ICE intraday trade are different measures.
Average household electricity prices across the EU fell 2.2% to €0.28 per kilowatt-hour in the first half of 2026, from €0.29 in the previous half-year, Eurostat reported. Taxes and levies accounted for 28.4% of the bill. The European Commission says electricity itself made up nearly 49% of European retail electricity bills in 2024, with network charges and taxes also contributing. National governments have substantial authority over taxes, while regulators oversee grid charges.
Presented July 17, the European Commission’s proposal would allow targeted network-charge reductions for some consumer groups and lower electricity taxes for energy-intensive businesses. It also supports wider use of smart meters and proposes that electricity excise tax not exceed the tax on natural gas. The Commission identifies those consumer groups and businesses as intended beneficiaries.
The Council of the European Union said ministers saw scope to reduce power-system costs while calling for grid-tariff methods to account for national circumstances. The meeting discussion guided further technical work; ministers did not agree to immediate household bill cuts.
Ministers also discussed winter preparedness and energy security amid the Middle East conflict. Darragh O’Brien, Ireland’s Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment, said in the Council’s account: “Energy security, affordability and resilience are inseparable.” The Council is targeting a general approach on the proposal at its Dec. 10 Energy Council meeting.
