Savings measures are largely up to each country to decide. Russia’s unpredictability and rising energy prices still encourage countries to reduce.
13:41•Updated 14:53
The EU countries have reached an agreement on cutting natural gas consumption in case of winter.
The decision was made at an extraordinary meeting of energy ministers in Brussels on Tuesday. Presidency of the Czech Republic and EU Energy Commissioner Kadri Simson’s is scheduled to comment on the decision – the opportunity has been moved, you can follow the broadcast live in this story at 3:20 p.m.
The member countries agreed that they will jointly try to reduce gas consumption between the beginning of August and the end of March. The reduction target is 15 percent compared to the level of 2017–2022.
However, the goal is voluntary. The countries must report their plans to the EU Commission.
The cuts are to primarily affect industry, not households.
Surgery can become mandatory if there is an emergency and the member states so decide
The compromise means that the EU countries now largely decide their savings goals themselves. The Commission’s original proposal was softened in the consideration of the member states.
The member countries were most annoyed by the fact that the Commission would have wanted the right to make savings mandatory if, for example, Russia cut off gas supplies completely and Europe was threatened with an acute gas shortage.
According to today’s decision, the approval of the member states is required to activate this crisis mechanism. Activation of the crisis mechanism can be proposed by the Commission or at least five member states.
The countries were also able to pass a number of exemptions. They take into account the very different situations of the member countries in terms of gas use and enable the targets to be relaxed.
Member countries still have clear incentives to reduce their gas consumption.
The Russian threat is known and the price of gas is high. President of Russia Vladimir Putin use gas as a political and economic weapon in the direction of the EU – most recently yesterday, Monday, the country’s gas company Gazprom announced that it would reduce supplies.
The only exception in the anti-Russian line is Hungary. It was the only country to vote against the gas compromise and wants to buy more cheap gas from Russia, which is waging a war of aggression.
Finland does not need to save at all, Lintilä is satisfied with the solution
The Minister of Economic Affairs who represented Finland at the meeting Mika Lintilä (center) is satisfied with the compromise.
– I am very pleased that especially the big countries gave this show strong support. Solidarity drove past some national interests.
For Finland, the solution was easy. Gas consumption has decreased during the spring so that Finland does not need to cut its gas consumption at all.
– In principle, we have reduced gas consumption by about 50 percent during the spring, so this will not cause us to take measures, says Lintilä.
Lintilä expects that the industry will increasingly try to get rid of gas use.
You can discuss the topic. The discussion is open until 11 p.m.