Initiatives falling short

Steep hike: A truck entering a petrol station in Marseille, southern France. Oil prices are at their highest in the country since 2014. — AFP

LONDON: European governments have spent tens of billions of euros trying to shield consumers from record high energy prices, and themselves from voters’ wrath, but the measures look set to fall short.

From Athens to Oslo, lawmakers across Europe, some facing elections this year, have scrambled initiatives such as removing value-added tax (VAT) on home energy bills or providing targeted help for the most needy households.