EU countries have agreed to reduce gas consumption by 15% by the end of March next year, according to the website of the Council of Europe.

“In an effort to improve EU energy security, member states have reached a political agreement on a voluntary 15% reduction in demand for natural gas this winter,” the EU Council said in a statement following an unscheduled meeting at the level of energy ministers.

It is noted that such a measure was taken in the light of the possible termination of the transit of Russian gas to Europe.

“The goal of reducing demand for gas is to build up stocks before winter to prepare for possible interruptions in gas supplies from Russia,” Brussels noted.

EU countries have agreed to reduce gas demand "by 15% compared to their average consumption over the past five years for the period from August 1, 2022 to March 31, 2023."

It is emphasized that states, while reducing the consumption of blue fuel, should avoid negative consequences for households and the work of critical services in the field of health and defense.

Now the norms for saving consumption are applied by countries voluntarily, but the agreement provides for the possibility of declaring a “union alarm” on the security of supplies.

With this development of events, the reduction of gas consumption will become mandatory.

  • Council of Europe building

  • Gettyimages.ru

However, the agreement reached in Brussels makes it possible for a number of countries to avoid mandatory reductions in gas consumption.

In particular, such states include those that are not connected to the gas networks of other EU members, since they will not be able to release significant volumes of pipeline gas in the interests of other consumers.

In addition, Member States can also request easing of austerity requirements "if they have exceeded their gas storage capacity targets" or "if they are heavily dependent on gas as a feedstock for critical industries".

The reason for the concessions could also be an increase in gas consumption in these countries "by at least 8% compared to the average over the past five years."

The EU Council statement did not indicate which countries received such preferences, but on Tuesday LaSexta TV channel reported that Spain and Portugal would be able to reduce their gas consumption by 7% instead of 15%.

Later it became known that derogations from the new measures are provided for the Baltic countries and the island states of the European Union.

Josef Sikela, head of the Czech Ministry of Industry and Trade, spoke about this at a press conference.

It is worth noting that not all European countries supported the new measures of Brussels.

Initially, 11 EU states, including Hungary, opposed the innovations.

Earlier, Foreign Minister of the Republic Peter Szijjarto said that the plan to reduce gas consumption by 15% is unrealistic. 

In turn, the Minister of Transport of Ireland, Eamon Ryan, noted that the program to reduce gas consumption by 15% is likely to be insufficient for the EU to get through the heating season against the backdrop of reduced supplies from Russia.

In order to still lobby for a decision to reduce consumption, the EC had to add four blocks of exceptions to the original plan.

At the same time, Hungary, according to the AFP agency, remained unconvinced: it was the only one of the 27 EU countries that did not support the proposal to cut gas consumption.

gas hunger

Recall that the EU decided to reduce the volume of gas used against the backdrop of a reduction in the supply of Russian raw materials via Nord Stream.

The drop in pumping volumes was caused by delays in returning the Siemens gas turbine to Gazprom after repairs.

The delay occurred due to the anti-Russian sanctions of Canada, where the unit was being serviced.

Because of this, since mid-June, the gas pipeline has been operated at 40% of its maximum capacity, transporting only 67 million cubic meters per day.

Since July 27, the figure has dropped to 33 million cubic meters per day, or up to 20% of the design capacity.

Moscow warned Europe that the EU's energy policy could lead to such consequences.

On July 19, Russian President Vladimir Putin pointed out that a number of factors hinder the transportation of gas to Europe.

So, he recalled that Ukraine closed one of the two gas transportation routes running through its territory, and Poland, in turn, imposed sanctions against the Yamal-Europe gas pipeline.

At the same time, Nord Stream's work was in jeopardy due to anti-Russian EU sanctions that prevent the repair of turbines.

  • kremlin.ru

At the same time, the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline, completed last year, is being refused by the EU.

“We have another ready-made route - this is Nord Stream 2.

It can be launched, but it is not launched,” the Russian leader explained.

Vladimir Putin also added that the development of the energy crisis in Europe was also seriously affected by the EU program to phase out the use of fossil fuels in favor of green energy.

However, in Europe they stubbornly continue to blame the Russian Federation for their difficulties.

Thus, the Vice-Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany, Minister for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection Robert Habek said that Russia, announcing the reduction of supplies through the Nord Stream, allegedly "plays an insidious game" and violates agreements.

In addition, Khabek continues to oppose the use of Nord Stream 2.

In his opinion, the approval of the commissioning of this pipeline would be the capitulation of Europe.

"Hostage of the anti-Russian campaign"

According to analysts, the reduction in gas consumption is likely to bring only additional problems to the European economy.

“The reduction in supplies could lead to the economic collapse of Europe.

For example, a significant proportion of Germany's production capacity depends on the import of Russian blue fuel, as they receive electricity from those stations that run on natural gas.

This decision will also affect households, there will be big problems with heating, ”Nikita Danyuk, deputy director of the Institute for Strategic Studies and Forecasts of the RUDN University, a member of the Civic Chamber of the Russian Federation, predicted in an interview with RT.

He also added that the presence in the new agreement of exceptions for a number of countries could cause friction within the EU.

Alexander Frolov, deputy director of the National Energy Institute, holds a similar opinion.

  • Nord Stream

  • Gettyimages.ru

“The whole current situation leads to an increase in contradictions within the European Union, as it, in fact, is undergoing a test of strength.

But is it really profitable for these countries to live together, or are they together only if the weather is good, economic indicators are good?

The European Union is now in a situation that inevitably leads to an aggravation of centrifugal tendencies, but it is not necessary that they lead to a break within the European Union, ”the analyst said in an interview with RT.

According to Nikita Danyuk, Europe has destabilized the gas market with its own short-sighted policy.

“Europe is in this situation because it is a hostage to the anti-Russian campaign, which is coordinated by the United States and periodically by Britain.

The EU cannot ensure its energy security without Russian energy sources, in particular, without natural gas.

This is especially true for countries such as Germany, Austria and Italy.

However, European politicians themselves refuse to develop energy cooperation with Moscow, they are trying to revise existing contracts, reduce the volume of supplies, while not being able to make up for the missing energy with equivalent alternative routes, ”the expert says.

In turn, Alexander Frolov noted that the roots of the current crisis should also be sought in the policy that the EU has been pursuing in the field of energy for the past ten years.

“The EU found itself in the current situation due to a combination of a number of factors, the main of which were those decisions in the field of energy reforms that were made in the late 2000s.

Then a course was taken for a gradual abandonment of the oil peg in determining the price of gas and the transition to the stock exchange peg under long-term contracts.

As a result, Europe has suffered more from the current crisis than, for example, Asia, where gas consumption is higher.

The fact is that in Asia, 75% of gas is imported with an oil peg, and not with an exchange one,” says Frolov.

The second reason, according to him, lies in the EU's attempt to switch to green energy.

“The abandonment of coal generation, the reduction in the share of nuclear energy in Germany, as well as the decision to increase the share of renewable energy sources have reduced the agility, reliability and sustainability of the European energy system.

The combination of these factors led her to the current situation,” says Alexander Frolov.

At the same time, analysts emphasize that Brussels had a chance to avoid the current crisis.

“For this, it was only necessary to show independence and subjectivity, because energy contacts with Russia are part of the energy security of the EU countries.

Despite the situation in Ukraine, there was no need to mix energy and politics.

Vladimir Putin has always said that all Russian energy projects are purely economic in nature.

We have always stressed that we are ready, despite the anti-Russian position of Brussels, to develop economic cooperation.

Europe, on the contrary, tried to politicize everything.

We are now seeing the result of such a course, ”summed up Danyuk.