The Council of the European Union reported that the countries of the Union have finally agreed on a plan for a voluntary reduction in demand for gas with the possibility of introducing a mandatory reduction in demand for “blue fuel” by 15% in the coming months.
The European Commission said in a statement: “The Council has approved a regulation to reduce the demand (consumption) for gas by 15% this winter.”
On July 20, the European Commission proposed a regulation to reduce the demand (consumption) for “blue fuel” in the European Union, which was approved by the EU energy ministers on the 26th of the same month with a number of amendments.
Earlier, European Commissioner for Energy Kadri Simpson said that the European Union must be prepared for the possibility of facing a disruption in gas supplies from Russia at any moment.
The European move came in response to cuts in natural gas supplies from Russia via the Nord Stream 1 gas pipeline, noting the cuts were due to maintenance issues with Siemens turbines in light of Western sanctions imposed on Moscow.
Source: RIA Novosti