By all accounts to date, Russian President Putin is using energy exports as a tool to divide Europe and undermine its support for Ukraine. Europe’s recent reaction will not change his calculations. Time is running out and better solutions are needed. The state-owned Gazprom has reduced gas flows to Europe via Nord Stream 1 to 20% of normal capacity, citing maintenance problems. As long as the war continues, there is a strong possibility that supplies will be completely cut off. This would seriously jeopardize Europe’s economy and could deprive millions of people of heat in the winter. Even if the European Union manages to fill 90% of its natural gas reserves, according to the International Energy Agency, there will still be a risk of serious disruptions. The European Commission’s original plan in response to Russia’s threat to cut gas consumption by 15% per country failed from the start. Germany, heavily dependent on Russian gas, backed 15% even though other countries felt it would cause disproportionate harm for limited collective gain.

The European Commission’s original plan to cut gas consumption by 15% in every country failed from the start.

The latest version of the plan was a slightly modified proposal, but we believe a more ambitious and thorough approach is needed. First, a summit is needed to discuss a new short-term strategy. In addition, broad and extensive public information is needed to explain the threats to European security and to prepare citizens for what the possible responses to them are. Any effort of this kind, to be considered legitimate, requires mutual compromises and sacrifices, and the politicians of the nation-states, not the unelected bureaucrats of the European Commission, should be at the forefront. However, whatever plan is needed to support vulnerable households during the winter.

Some countries have set caps on fees and introduced tax incentives, but such measures only increase usage. After all, it would be more appropriate to provide income-based subsidies for those who do not, and incentives to reduce consumption during peak periods. In addition, governments need to be creative about how best to manage demand. For example, under the German emergency plan, businesses can be compensated if they reduce usage and make surplus available to the wider market through auctions.