European Commission Recommends Member States Maintain 15% Gas Demand Reduction

The European Commission has proposed the adoption of a Council Recommendation on continued gas demand reduction measures.

This Recommendation, which would need to be adopted by the European Council, urges the European Union Member States to continue taking voluntary measures to maintain a collective 15 percent gas demand reduction, compared to the average demand between April 2017 and March 2022.

The Commission said that the proposal will be discussed by Commissioner for Energy Kadri Simson and EU Energy Ministers at the Energy Council on Monday.

It says that due to the wide range of emergency measures put in place since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the EU’s energy outlook has improved.

Supplies are more diversified, more renewable energy capacity has been installed, and impressive energy savings have been made, with gas storage now at a healthier level. This has served to lower and stabilize prices across Europe. Still, given the persistence of geopolitical tensions, tight global gas markets and the EU’s objective to completely get rid of Russian fossil fuels, continued energy savings are still necessary, according to the Commission.

Gas savings by businesses and citizens across the EU have made an important contribution to tackling the energy crisis, spurred by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine two years ago. Collectively, the EU reduced gas demand by 18 percent between August 2022 and December 2023, saving around 101 billion cubic meters of gas, the Commission estimates.