On Tuesday, August 9, the EU plan to reduce gas consumption in the bloc by at least 15% to deal with the crisis in energy prices caused by russia's war in Ukraine entered into force.
The purpose of the regulation is to allow the EU to increase its gas reserves in time for what is likely to be a very severe winter, reports The Guardian.
"Considering the imminent danger to the security of gas supply brought about by the russian military aggression against Ukraine, this regulation should enter into force as a matter of urgency", says the official administrative bulletin of the European Union.
European households and businesses are under pressure from soaring energy prices and shrinking Russian gas on which several member states depend.
The regulation requires EU countries to make every effort to reduce gas consumption by at least 15% between August 2022 and March 2023, based on average consumption over the previous five years.
Some EU countries, however, had restrictions on strict compliance with the rule, which in any case was called "voluntary demand reduction".
"These were countries not fully connected to the European electricity grid or with gas pipelines to other parts of the EU or unable to free up enough pipeline gas to help other member states," the article says.
Hungary, which relies on gas coming directly from russia, requested an exception. And Germany took the main share of 40% of the gas imported by the EU from Russia in 2021.
If the European Commission notices an acute shortage of gas supplies or an unusually high demand for gas, it can ask the countries of the bloc to declare an alarm for the EU. It would make gas cuts mandatory and limit exemptions.
Although the EU did not include russian gas in its sanctions against russia for the war in Ukraine, the russian federation still sharply reduced supplies.
Earlier, EcoPolitic wrote, that Germany, Austria, France and the Netherlands have announced plans to increase in coal generation, if russia stops supplying gas, that will create 30 million tons of additional CO2 emissions in 2023.
As EcoPolitic previously reported, fines will be imposed on shops in France for €750 for an open door during operation of air conditioners and heating.
