With harsh winter conditions setting in and ever more damage to its energy infrastructure from Russian missile attacks, the situation in Kyiv and other parts of Ukraine is dire. Technicians and engineers are racing to repair and restore basic utilities, but new strikes create life-threatening conditions for millions of Ukrainians, with temperatures dipping below zero.

To address this, Ukraine is in dire need of so called ‘Winterisation’ materials, particularly of generators of different sizes, but also shelters, water purification stations, current and voltage transformers, and other energy-related materials - new or second hand.

The EU is playing a major role in helping to address these needs, led by the Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations DG, DG ECHO. But colleagues in DG GROW have also been playing their part in the search for winterisation materials, by reaching out to key producers, big and small for donations. The companies were encouraged to donate via the Energy Community Secretariat Ukraine Support Task Force, which provides with guidance regarding the donation or procurement process and the door-to-door free of charge delivery of the equipment to Ukraine. As a result of the efforts of DG GROW, the number of companies who have reached out to help has increased during the last month.

As well as reaching out to individual industry associations, DG GROW has mobilised its Industrial Forum, bringing together Member States, industry and civil society and its SME support networks: the Enterprise Europe Network and European clusters network to get in touch with SMEs in their regions to find the necessary supplies. Commissioner Thierry Breton has personally addressed large manufacturers of generators, asking them for donations or taking part in EU procurements as well as ramping up their production and prioritising it in favour of Ukrainian needs.

Moreover, during the Paris conference “Standing with the Ukrainian People” President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen has announced that the European Commission is ready to mobilize 30 million euros that will cover roughly 30 million LED light bulbs. In this framework, DG GROW has been facilitating the contacts between the EU industry association regrouping the main lightbulbs producers and the UA delegation.

It is also liaising with SME support on the ground. The Electric Energy Matchmaking Forum has just been set up, powered by the Enterprise Europe Network in collaboration with European Clusters, and with the support EISMEA, and under patronage of the Ministry of Energy of Ukraine and Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine. The matchmaking Forum brings together Ukrainian public and private sector companies that need to recover electric systems or buy new power generating equipment, and EU producers/distributors of different types of energy equipment that can sell or donate it.

This all builds on the work by DG GROW since the start of the crisis, monitoring and addressing the impact on supply chains, and working to support the continuation of business and economic life in Ukraine.