EU Nations Back 15% Gas-Cut Target as Russia Reduces Flows
- Ministers sign off on voluntary rules to cut demand by 15%
- Rules may become mandatory under emergency supply situation
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European Union countries reached a political agreement to cut their gas use by 15% through next winter as the prospect of a full cut-off from Russian supplies grows increasingly likely.
Energy ministers meeting in Brussels gave the green light to a proposal to voluntarily cut their gas usage over the next months, the Czech presidency of the EU said in a post on Twitter. The plan makes the 15% target mandatory under an emergency situation -- such as a severe disruption to flows from Russia -- albeit with certain opt-outs for particularly vulnerable nations or those integral to the bloc’s network as a whole.