European Union (EU) countries are set to endorse a weakened emergency EU proposal to curb their gas demand on Tuesday, with opt-outs permitting them to follow different national paths to prepare for Russian supply cuts.
This Monday, Russia's Gazprom announced that it would cut gas deliveries to Europe via the Nord Stream 1 pipeline once more. With a dozen EU countries already suffering decreased Russian supply, Brussels has warned that a complete cut-off is likely, and has urged members to prepare by conserving and storing gas for winter.
The European Commission proposed emergency guidelines last week requiring each country to reduce its gas consumption by 15% from August to March. The objective would be voluntary, but the Commission may make it mandatory in the event of a supply crisis.
However, the idea has been met with opposition from a number of nations, and it has been redrafted to provide exemptions for a number of countries and businesses. EU energy ministers will gather on Tuesday to adopt the final version. "Member states must ensure that their ambitions are achievable given their internal circumstances," a senior EU diplomat said.
Another official predicted that ministers would endorse the plan now that many had received exemptions or milder standards. "There should be widespread agreement," the diplomat stated. Others, though, worried that the reduced standards could lead to countries failing to preserve enough gas for the winter. While governments have increased energy-saving efforts, particularly Germany, Europe's largest gas user, EU members have decreased their total gas use by only 5%, despite months of rising costs and declining Russian supplies.
Before its invasion of Ukraine in late February, Russia supplied 40% of the EU's gas. The redrafted proposal would remove nations like Ireland and Malta that are not connected to EU gas networks from the binding aim. Countries that sell gas to other countries and have near-full gas storage may face lower targets, while industries such as chemicals and steel may be spared.
After many objected to the Commission's original proposal that it have the last say, the draught would require a majority of countries to trigger the binding gas cutbacks. The idea has put EU cooperation to the test, with some members claiming that imposing a single percentage cut across all countries is unreasonable. Spain, which does not rely on Russian gas, and Greece, which claims it can deal with a Russian cutoff, are among the critics.
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