Under the deal agreed by energy ministers in Brussels, member states will reduce their consumption by 15%. However, the agreement was made on a voluntary basis and not an obligation originally envisaged by the EU. This idea met with considerable resistance from some national governments, leading to a new compromise. Energy crisis: Why do some countries have lower bills than the UK? It will become mandatory in the event of a “Union alert”, which would have to be agreed by a majority of countries. The agreement was immediately heralded as a diplomatic triumph, having gone from concept to agreement in relatively quick time, but the deal also includes a number of exclusions and exceptions. These include exceptions for countries whose electricity grid has little or no connection to the EU gas pipeline network. The targets will be reduced for countries that export natural gas or whose gas storage facilities are almost full, while some industries will also be exempted from the rules. The pattern of exemptions has led some diplomats to question its effectiveness, with one saying it was “a good idea without teeth”. But those doubts were addressed by Kadri Simson, the EU’s energy commissioner, who said: “Even if all the exemptions were fully used, we could achieve a reduction in demand that would safely see us through an average winter.” European nerves have been rattled by repeated suggestions that Russia would cut the supply it pumps through the Nord Stream 1 pipeline, which runs through northern Germany. Use Chrome browser for more accessible video player 2:47 INEOS Energy executive chairman Brian Gilvary tells Ian King about his concerns for the coming months in energy markets The pipeline was recently closed for maintenance. Now it’s back on, but running under full volume. Supply is expected to decrease further on Wednesday. Russia earns huge sums from Europe for supplying natural gas, but it also knows that it could cause economic and social problems if it decides to turn off the taps. Read more: Analysis: Nord Stream uncertainty leaves Germany, Europe staring down barrel of discontent and recession Germans warned to prepare for possible gas shortages amid Russia’s war in Ukraine As a result, the EU – and Germany in particular – is rapidly trying to wean itself off dependence on Russian fossil fuels. Announcing the decision, Czech Deputy Prime Minister Jozef Sikelá described it as “a message to the Kremlin”, while Germany’s Robert Habeck said Russia “will not divide us”. In fact, there was one country that opposed the plan. Hungary, which maintains a strong relationship with Russia and imports 80% of its natural gas from the country, slammed the plan as “unjustified, useless, unworkable and harmful”.
