Gas: EU ministers extend the 15% cut in consumption

Green light from the EU energy ministers for the extension for another year

, until 31 March 2024, of the emergency regulation on the reduction of demand for natural gas, which provides for the coordinated cut of 15% of consumption on a voluntary basis.

This is learned from European sources on the sidelines of the Energy Council.

The regulation will be formally adopted by written procedure.

In the European platform for joint gas purchases,

the EU commission expects to organize the first aggregate demand in mid-April.

"We want to proceed with the first tender in European history for the joint gas purchase already at the beginning of May", explains the vice-president of the European Commission Maros Sefcovic to the PE Industry commission.

The registration of applications starts today: "It is important", he says, "that the demand comes not only from companies, from those who deal with gas, but also from industrial players. For this reason I expect that demand will continue to rise".

"The energy platform - he clarified - will give us great experience which can then be used and applied also for joint purchases, for example of hydrogen, raw materials or other strategic raw materials".

"We cannot return to the status quo with Russia as the main gas supplier. The ability of member states to limit capacities for gas, including LNG, from Russia and Belarus is important."

This was stated by

, Kadri Simson, during the public session of the Energy Council, highlighting the need for the EU to "protect the security of stocks".

In the meantime, Italy - explained

, in his speech on the EU package for the decarbonisation of the gas sector - is asking the EU to strengthen the principle of separation between gas network managers and their users, and to ensure technological neutrality for the production of low-carbon hydrogen. 

The proposal being examined by the Member States "adequately reflects the current transition phase" of the sector, said Pichetto, highlighting however that "Italy has always supported the importance of adopting ownership unbundling" of the network, and the has applied rigorously, while other countries "have chosen a milder solution".