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Gender aspects of the rising cost of living and the impact of the energy crisis

TA-9-2024-0048 · P9_TA(2024)0048 · PE752.947

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Parliament's resolution on the gender aspects of the rising cost of living and the energy crisis finds that women are disproportionately affected by energy poverty and inflation. It calls for gender-sensitive measures, funding, data and a gender-inclusive green transition. It asks the Commission and member states to ban energy disconnections, guarantee affordable utilities and food, and increase public investment in housing, care and social infrastructure. It calls for an extraordinary support package of EUR 100 billion for families and at least EUR 20 billion for the European Child Guarantee, and for an adequate minimum income. It demands gender-disaggregated data on energy poverty, mandatory gender impact assessments in national energy and climate plans, and a gender action plan from the Commission's Directorate-General for Energy. It calls for gender budgeting across the EU budget, an EU gender and climate coordinator, and measures to reduce the gender gap in the energy sector and STEAM careers.

Key points

  1. Calls on the Commission to deliver on its commitment to promote gender equality in all policymaking and to develop a gender-transformative intersectional strategy to address energy poverty.
  2. Regrets that Commission Recommendation (EU) 2023/2407 on energy poverty fails to recognise the gendered aspects of energy poverty and the need for gender-disaggregated data.
  3. Calls for an extraordinary package of EUR 100 billion for families, especially single-parent families, and at least EUR 20 billion to scale up the European Child Guarantee.
  4. Calls on member states and the EU to guarantee affordable utilities and food for low-income households and to ban energy disconnections.
  5. Calls on the Commission and member states to take urgent action against women's poverty, including an ambitious 2030 European anti-poverty strategy with concrete targets.
  6. Calls on member states to adopt measures against old-age poverty and take a gender-sensitive approach to pension reform, retirement age and social benefits.
  7. Calls on the Commission to propose new legislative acts to stop speculators from making access to energy unaffordable for women.
  8. Calls on the Commission's Directorate-General for Energy to develop a gender action plan integrating the gender dimension into all EU energy legislation.
  9. Calls on the Commission to require member states to conduct mandatory gender impact assessments in national energy and climate plans.
  10. Calls on member states to increase public investment in services counteracting the cost of living crisis on women, including care, education, health and affordable housing.
  11. Calls on the Commission to assess and propose new legislative acts to mitigate the financialisation of housing markets and stop speculators making housing unaffordable.
  12. Calls on the Commission, Eurostat and member states to improve collection of gender-disaggregated and intersectional data on energy poverty.

Who is affected

  • Women in the EU, especially single mothers, women with disabilities, migrant and refugee women, and elderly women, who face higher energy poverty risks.
  • Member states, which are asked to ban energy disconnections, increase social investment and collect gender-disaggregated data.
  • The Commission, which is asked to propose legislation, develop guidelines and appoint an EU gender and climate coordinator.
  • Energy companies, which are asked to take a proportional approach to disconnecting users and eradicate gender discrimination.
  • Women-led SMEs and women entrepreneurs in sustainable energy, who should get equal access to opportunities and finance.

Figures and deadlines

  • Prices rose by 11,5 % in the EU since October 2021; food inflation reached 17,8 % in October 2022.
  • Average inflation for 2023 estimated at 5,6 % for the euro area.
  • In 2021, 6,9 % of Union households were behind on utility bills and 6,4 % could not keep homes warm.
  • In 2022, over 41 million Europeans could not keep homes adequately warm; EPOV estimates more than 50 million households affected.
  • Buildings account for 40 % of final energy consumption and 36 % of energy-related greenhouse gas emissions; 75 % of EU buildings are energy inefficient.
  • Gender pay gap stands at 12,7 % across the EU; women's retirement income is on average 35 % lower than men's.
  • Gender pension gap ranges from 2,6 % in Estonia to 46,1 % in Malta.
  • In late 2022, 44 % of single mothers and 31 % of single women anticipated difficulties affording energy costs.

Legal basis: Articles 2, 3(1) and 3(3) of the Treaty on European Union; Articles 8, 9, 10, 119, 122, 127, 151, 153(2), 156, 157, 191 and 194 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union.