The European Commission has finished outlining its proposed action plan to shield Europe from a potential gas disruption linked to Russia. Among the measures Brussels plans to announce this Wednesday are a mandatory conservation framework, an equal gas allocation approach for all EU countries irrespective of their Russian gas dependence, and guarantees to ensure secure supplies in every Member State.
In Spain, a dozen industrial employers have challenged the alert mechanism crafted by Brussels, sending a letter to Teresa Ribera, Vice President and Minister for Ecological Transition. They oppose the plan prepared by the European Commission and call for a frontline stance against the proposed measure.
Organizations spanning the industrial landscape—Anfac and Sernauto representing automotive, AOP for oil and refining, Aspapel for paper, Feique for chemistry and medicine, Fiab for food and beverage, Oficemen for cement, Primigea for mineral raw materials, and Unesid for iron and steel—convened to urge the government to resist a system that would reduce gas consumption by fixed percentages. This mechanism could be activated unilaterally by the Commission or at the request of two Member States in an emergency.
Across Europe there is heightened scrutiny as Russia faces international pressure. The question looming is whether Moscow might escalate its course with a total gas supply shutdown as a new pressure lever amid the shock over the Ukraine war.
Spain draws electricity, gas and oil risk map due to Putin’s threat
The government and the Spanish energy sector emphasize a different risk calculus for Spain. With relatively low dependence on Russian gas and diversified import sources, Spain has substantial regasification capacity—six plants account for a sizable portion of EU capacity. This capacity supports domestic demand and even allows stockpiling in advance of anticipated checks on Brussels’ demand for gas reductions. Consequently, most Spanish industry resists applying the same reductions across all European countries.
Critics argue that applying uniform gas reduction targets without considering national circumstances makes little strategic sense. If unneeded gas cannot be redirected to other Union members, the mandated cuts could worsen shortages of essential products and ripple through the European value chain, jeopardizing industrial activity and employment.
Spain’s relatively privileged position, due to its low exposure to Russian gas and its six regasification facilities, is underscored by the Industry Competitiveness Alliance. This coalition of industry employers stresses the importance of reducing reliance on a single supplier country. It notes notable investments in gas infrastructure aimed at limiting exposure to disruptions and argues that forcing uniform limits could undermine industrial resilience and economic stability across Europe.
The alliance warns that hasty pan-European reductions might clash with national strategies to secure critical supply chains. It emphasizes the need to balance demand management with the realities of imports, storage capacities, and regional energy ecosystems to avoid unnecessary economic strain.