After reaching compromise agreements to restrict the cutbacks for some nations, European Union members preparing for further reductions in Russian gas supply agreed a limited emergency plan to reduce demand on Tuesday.
From Wednesday, when Russian company Gazprom has announced it will reduce flows via the Nord Stream 1 pipeline to Germany to a fifth of capacity, Europe will experience an increasing gas shortage.
Brussels is advising EU members to save gas and store it for the winter out of concern that Russia will completely cut off flows in retaliation for Western sanctions over its war with Ukraine. A dozen EU countries are already experiencing reduced Russian supplies.
Energy ministers agreed on a plan calling for all EU nations to voluntarily reduce their gas use from the average for the years 2017 to 2021 by 15% from August to March.
In the event of a supply crisis, the cuts might be rendered legally enforceable if a majority of EU nations agree to this. But after several governments objected to the EU’s first proposal to apply it to every country, nations agreed to exempt a number of nations and industries from the mandatory 15% cut.
The agreement, according to German Economy Minister Robert Habeck, will demonstrate to Russian President Vladimir Putin that Europe is still together in the face of Moscow’s most recent gas cuts. Habeck retorted, ‘You won’t split us.’
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