EU extends emergency measure to curb gas demand for 12 months

European Union countries agreed on Tuesday to extend for a year an emergency measure to voluntarily reduce their gas use, to help prepare for another European winter with scarce Russian supplies.

EU countries' energy ministers agreed to extend for the next 12 months, until March 2024, a voluntary target to curb their gas demand by 15%.

The emergency measure, which the EU agreed last year in response to Russia slashing gas supplies to Europe, was due to expire at the end of March.