Von der Leyen warns critics of gas emergency plans

Created: 07/25/2022, 04:55 am

Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, at a press conference in Brussels.

© Virginia Mayo/AP/dpa

The energy ministers of the EU countries are meeting this week for a special meeting on the gas crisis.

Commission President Ursula von der Leyen had just made an urgent appeal.

Brussels - EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is urging that countries with little dependence on Russian gas supplies also participate in savings efforts.

"Even member states that hardly purchase Russian gas cannot escape the consequences of a possible delivery stop in our internal market," she told the German Press Agency shortly before a special meeting of energy ministers this Tuesday.

The economies in the EU are closely intertwined.

A gas crisis would affect every Member State in one form or another.

"It is therefore important that all member states curb demand, that everyone saves more and shares it with those members who are more affected," added von der Leyen.

Energy solidarity is a basic principle of the European treaties.

Criticism from Spain and Portugal

Shortly before, Spain and Portugal, among others, had criticized a proposal by the EU Commission for a gas emergency plan.

The Portuguese government cannot accept the proposal at all because it is "unsustainable", said the State Secretary for Environment and Energy, João Galamba, in an interview with the newspaper "Público" on Thursday.

"We consume gas out of absolute necessity," he assured.

Already on Wednesday, the Spanish Minister for Ecological Change, Teresa Ribera, complained: "We can't make any sacrifices that we haven't been asked about." lived our relationships.”

Specifically, the EU Commission's plan provides that all EU states voluntarily make all necessary efforts to reduce their gas consumption by at least 15 percent between August 1, 2022 and March 31, 2023.

The comparative value would be the average consumption in the same period of the past five years.

Von der Leyen: Europe must be prepared

In the event of a real gas emergency, it should also be possible to order a reduction in consumption.

According to the EU Commission, inadequate preparation for a Russian delivery freeze could result in a slump in economic output by an average of 0.9 to 1.5 percent.

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"In the meantime, Russia is only partially delivering gas or not at all in twelve member states," said von der Leyen of the German Press Agency.

"That's why Europe has to be prepared for the worst case scenario: a complete stop to gas supplies, sooner or later." The faster you act, the more you save - and the safer you are.

The Commission's proposals are the subject of a special meeting of EU energy ministers in Brussels this Tuesday.

Von der Leyen expressed confidence that they would find broad approval.

"I am sure that energy ministers ... are aware of their responsibilities," she said.

It's about creating a safety net for everyone so that you can make it safely through the next two winters.

dpa