The EU’s leaky gas-saving plan

In a feat of strength, the 27 EU member states have agreed on a joint gas plan for the winter – as a signal to the Kremlin. But a large majority of the members have managed to implement exceptions for their own countries.

In the end, the Czech Council Presidency actually succeeded. The EU member states want to cut gas consumption by at least 15 percent between August and March of next year – initially voluntarily, and later mandatory in the event of a Union-wide alert. „At the end, everybody understands that this sacrifice is necessary,“ said Jozef Síkela, the Czech Minister of Industry and Trade, after the energy ministers’ meeting. „We have to and we will share the pain.“

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