Despite the significantly better supply situation, the EU countries want to continue saving gas. The energy ministers of the member states agreed on Monday at a meeting in Brussels to extend the gas emergency plan, which expires at the end of the month, for another year. Accordingly, the EU states should continue to voluntarily keep their gas consumption 15 percent below the average consumption for the period from April 2017 to March 2022. “Although security of supply in the EU has improved, demand must be further reduced to ensure sufficient gas storage for next winter,” the countries said. The emergency plan came into force in 2022 in response to the energy crisis caused by the Russian war of aggression and was originally intended to apply until the end of March 2023.
A year ago, the energy ministers had already agreed on an extension until March 2024. The EU Commission proposed the extension last week. Although the EU’s energy prospects had improved, savings were still needed. “Continued gas savings will help maintain and improve current market stability,” it said. Between August 2022 and December 2023, gas demand in the EU fell by 18 percent, according to the EU Commission. The efforts therefore went beyond the savings target of 15 percent. The renewed extension that has now been decided still has to be formally accepted.