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Europe continues to be challenged with an uncertain future in terms of gas supply. Some of the EU member states are facing reduced amounts of gas coming from Russia.
Uncertainty and the possibility of Moscow cutting off gas supplies in the winter prompted European Union calls for member states to cut gas consumption by 15 percent.
The European Union today (Wednesday) unveiled plans for the bloc’s member countries to cut gas consumption by 15 percent by March next year. The EU warned that without these deep cuts to be made now, countries could face shortages over the winter if Russia cuts off supplies.
“Russia is blackmailing us, using energy as a weapon. In any case, whether for a partial, major, or total interruption of Russian gas, Europe must be ready.” said the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen at a press conference.
Her comments come as Europe scrambles to secure sufficient gas reserves ahead of the winter season and create a buffer in case Moscow further curbs its supplies in retaliation for Brussels’ support for Ukraine.
A number of European Union member states are already facing reduced Russian supplies, while EU officials warn that a complete ban on gas supplies from Russia is likely.
The European Commission proposed today a target for all EU member states to reduce gas use by 15 percent from August to March, compared to the average consumption of these countries in the same period, from 2016 to 2021. .
The proposal allows Brussels to make this target mandatory, in case of an emergency, if the EU declares a significant risk of severe gas shortages.
The regulation must be approved by a qualified majority of member states, which together must represent 65 percent of the population of the European Union.
The diplomats of the EU countries are expected to discuss this issue on Friday, while the approval of the regulation is expected to take place in an emergency meeting of the energy ministries on July 26.
Before attacking Ukraine, Moscow supplied 40 percent of the EU’s gas needs. But after the start of the war, the amount of Russian gas transported to Europe has fallen below 30 percent of the 2016-2021 average./VOA
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