Brussels has asked European Union member states to consume 15 percent less natural gas than next month. This makes it even clearer about the proposal put forward by the European Commission. According to insiders of the news agency, the plan is Bloomberg It aims to better absorb the potential hit if Russia suddenly cuts off gas supplies.
The sources have not yet said what exactly the proposal would look like, but the question would not be entirely non-binding. The business newspaper wrote that if the availability of gas deteriorates significantly, certain obligations could also be imposed on countries from Brussels financial times (F) already on Monday based on a draft leaked document.
Committee wanted Bloomberg Do not comment on the post. The procedure would in any case still require the approval of all Member States. According to diplomats, a wide range of countries are opposed to mandatory cuts in gas consumption, because national governments have already drawn up their own contingency plans.
It was already known that Brussels would likely come up with a plan on Wednesday to reduce gas consumption further. According to Budget Commissioner Johannes Hahn, the European Union’s Executive Council now assumes that the Nord Stream 1 pipeline will remain closed, although it is due to reopen on Thursday. “In this case, additional measures must be taken,” he said. This important link between Russia and Germany across the Baltic Sea is currently closed for maintenance.
Bloomberg and news agency Reuters I have since spoken to sources who say the Russians are planning to restart Nord Stream 1 after all. However, there will be limited capacity. According to sources, it is all a plan for now. The final decision had not yet been made in Moscow.
