EU states want to further reduce their gas consumption. EU energy ministers agreed on this today in Brussels.
A corresponding EU regulation, which expires at the end of March, is only expected to be replaced by a recommendation to EU countries, according to a statement. States are encouraged to further reduce their gas consumption by 15 percent by the end of March 2025, compared to the average from April 2017 to March 2022.
“We have come a long way since 2022, taking coordinated action across the EU and responding quickly to the energy crisis caused by Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine,” Belgian Energy Minister Tinne Van der Straeten said in the press release.
Option for mandatory limitation excluded
According to existing regulations, reducing gas consumption by 15 percent was not mandatory. If EU states had triggered a “Union alert”, the strangulation would have become mandatory. This option and other reporting obligations provided for in the regulation are no longer applicable.
The meeting of EU energy ministers focused mainly on gas supplies in Europe. The transit contract between Ukraine and Russian company Gazprom will expire at the end of 2024, which could mean the end of deliveries of Russian gas – including to Austria. “It is uncertain whether, how, to what extent and under what conditions gas will flow to Europe after the end of the transit contract,” said Energy Minister Leonore Gewessler (Greens).