France to announce additional measures to tackle soaring energy prices

The French government will lay out additional measures to tackle the ongoing surge in energy prices, President Emmanuel Macron announced.
"In the coming days, the government will supplement its response in line with the developing situation ... in order not to leave anybody behind," Macron said during a visit to Seine-Saint-Denis, a suburb of Paris, stressing that it is also "a question of sovereignty".

The subject is even more sensitive for the President as the crisis of the "Yellow Vests" movement started in the autumn of 2018 due to a fuel price rise, reports Xinhua news agency.

"I do not underestimate what it means for the French. There are some measures that have been taken with a price freeze," he said, referring to Prime Minister Jean Castex's decision to freeze gas prices till the end of this winter.

The Prime Minister also announced offering an "exceptional" energy check of 100 euros to some 6 million low-income households.

According to a survey by the French National Energy Ombudsman, 84 per cent of the respondents expressed their concern over their energy expenditure, and 60 per cent of the respondents said that they have reduced heating at home to avoid paying too high bills - IANS