EU wants countries to cut gas use by 15% over winter months

The aim is to ensure essential industries and services like hospitals keep functioning, while others would have to cut back. Picture: AP Photo/Sergei Grits, File

The European Union’s head office has proposed that member states cut their gas use by 15% over the coming months to ensure that any full Russian cut-off of natural gas supplies to the bloc will not fundamentally disrupt industries next winter.

While the initial cuts would be voluntary, the Commission also asked for the power to impose mandatory reductions across the bloc in the event of an EU-wide alert “when there is a substantial risk of a severe gas shortage or an exceptionally high demand of gas occurs, which results in a significant deterioration of the gas supply situation”.