The draft text says that EU policy must ensure “competitive” energy prices, and declares it “crucial” that Europe diversify its energy supply and develop “indigenous energy resources” – a reference to renewable energies, but also coal, nuclear power and shale gas.

One high-profile German MEP Holger Krahmer (ALDE), hailed the end of “climate hysteria” in a jubilant press statement.

Binding bids are due to be submitted on 29 May for DEPA, which posted a net profit of €106 million last year. Gazprom last year made a preliminary bid of €900 million.

Gazprom is already DEPA's main supplier, providing about 60% of its gas last year. It cut its supply prices by about 7% in 2011, but Greek energy players say prices are still high compared with what Gazprom charges in other parts of Europe with more competition.

Milton Catelin is Chief Executive of the World Coal Association

Over the past few years Europeans have seen their energy costs locked into an upward spiral, deteriorating the competitiveness of European businesses and putting more households at risk of energy poverty.

Across Europe, average electricity prices for households and industries have increased by 29% between 2005 and 2011. Over the same period of time electricity prices in the USA increased by only 5% and in Japan by 1%.

Jacques Delors is a former president of the Commission; Jerzy Buzek is an MEP and former president of the Parliament; Antonio Vitorino is a former commissioner; and Sami Andoura is a senior research fellow at Notre Europe - the Jacques Delors Institute. They all represent the Jacques Delors Institute.

Karl Aiginger is director of the Austrian Institute of Economic Research (WIFO).

David Holyoake is legal advisor to the environmental group ClientEarth.

Tomorrow, the European Council will discuss the role of energy policies in promoting EU jobs, growth and competitiveness while also securing decarbonisation objectives. Our national leaders have rightly understood that our energy choices will determine our economic future. We can only hope that they also fully realise the extent to which climate and economic objectives go hand in hand.

"It's a grave mistake," Roesler told Welt am Sonntag newspaper on Sunday.

He said China already warned the duties on solar panels would harm bilateral trade. "That shows: punitive import duties are the wrong instrument."

Roesler told the Sunday newspaper that the German government has repeatedly warned of the consequences of punitive import duties against China's solar industry. Germany is one of the world's leading export nations.