The EU emergency gas plan came into force today. Countries will use 15 percent less gas this winter. EU countries take various measures to save gas. Overview.

From today, the member states of the European Union must save as much natural gas as possible – but not less than 15 percent. This is what the EU Commission’s gas emergency plan says. Bottom line: The savings program is not mandatory. However, EU countries also want to get involved in different ways.

Brussels: EU Commission sets guidelines

Natural gas consumption in each EU country must be reduced by 15 percent compared to the average of the last five years. Whether or not to follow the strict austerity call is a matter for the governments of the respective capitals to decide. Saving is voluntary.

Holger Beckmann
ARD Studio Brussels

Nevertheless, it should reduce gas consumption across the EU by a total of €45 billion. cubic meters. This is expected to compensate for the drastically reduced supply from Russia. Germany’s Federal Network Agency believes that the gas crisis could have been avoided – at least if less gas was transferred to other EU countries. However, this should be met with protests, as gas is now an extremely scarce commodity everywhere. And the fight for distribution in Europe is just beginning.

Italy: 19 degrees in public buildings

In Italy, there is still no general plan to avoid freezing in winter in case of gas shortages. Gas for heating and hot water is much more important in Italy than, for example, in Germany. 70 percent of Italian households heat with gas; In Germany, only 50 percent.