EU 'Save Gas for a Safe Winter' Plan Explained

Measure in Brief

The Commission's Communication "Save gas for a safe winter" proposes a voluntary EU gas demand reduction target of 15% from 1 August 2022 to 31 March 2023 and is accompanied by a draft Council Regulation based on Article 122 of the EU Treaty to create a new Union emergency tool. If voluntary measures are insufficient, the proposed Regulation allows the Commission, after consulting the Council, to declare a Union alert and activate a binding demand reduction target; the Regulation would apply for two years with a review by August 2023.

Who Is Affected

Protected customers, namely households and essential social services such as hospitals and schools, are exempt from rationing, while the measures focus primarily on industry though all sectors and citizens are asked to contribute. Member States must update their national emergency plans by the end of September with planned demand-reduction measures, national authorities will monitor implementation and report achieved reductions every two months, and the Commission will coordinate monitoring and enforcement via the Gas Coordination Group.

What Comes Next

Member States must submit updated national plans by end-September, after which the Commission will monitor progress, may declare a Union alert and impose mandatory reductions if voluntary targets prove insufficient, and the new Regulation would be reviewed within two years and by August 2023 at the latest.