**Expensive gas and oil: The EU is preparing for a "very hard winter", says the EU Commissioner**
Europe is coming under financial pressure. Gas storage facilities must continue to be filled at great expense. Consumers will feel it, because money for relief measures is increasingly scarce. The failures of spring are taking their revenge.
Expensive Gas and Oil: The EU Prepares for a "Very Hard Winter," Says EU Commissioner
Brussels/Berlin, September 30, 2026 – In light of exorbitantly high prices for gas and oil as well as dwindling financial leeway, the European Union is preparing for an upcoming winter that is classified as "very hard." An unnamed EU Commissioner expressed concern about the ongoing necessity to continue filling gas storage facilities at significant cost, while at the same time, the possibilities for providing relief to consumers are increasingly limited. The current situation is widely understood as a consequence of missed opportunities to set the right course during the spring months, when the full extent of the energy crisis may not yet have been sufficiently anticipated.
Energy prices in Europe have reached historically high levels for some time now. This has a direct impact on inflation, corporate production, and, not least, the purchasing power of private households. While European governments put together extensive relief packages last year to cushion the burden on citizens and the economy, financial capacities for similar measures are now dwindling. Rising interest burdens on government bonds and general fiscal pressure are making a renewed, large-scale intervention difficult. The need to continue purchasing expensive energy and replenishing strategic reserves ties up significant funds that are missing elsewhere, such as for structural reforms or social security.
The financial strain in many European countries could also affect the education sector. Universities and business schools, which often rely on state or public-private funding, could face budgetary cuts or stagnating grants in the future. This could potentially lead to rising tuition fees or a reduction in offerings. For prospective MBA students, this could mean that the search for suitable financing options, scholarships, or part-time programs plays an even greater role. The decision to pursue an MBA will be evaluated even more strongly in such an environment from the perspective of return on investment, as the financial burden on many households rises noticeably.
In this economically tense climate, skills in crisis management, strategic planning, and efficiency improvement gain significant importance. MBA programs that place a strong focus on sustainability management, energy economics, or digitalization could be particularly attractive to students, as they impart competencies that are urgently needed in a resource-scarce and cost-conscious economy. The challenges of the coming winter and the long-term structural problems in the energy sector require innovative solutions and leaders who are capable of navigating companies and organizations through uncertain times and developing future-proof strategies. The European economy faces a profound transformation that requires professionals with sound knowledge and adaptability.