European Union countries must coordinate efforts to reduce oil and gas consumption and stabilise energy markets, Energy Commissioner Dan Jørgensen said Tuesday, warning that disjointed national policies could worsen supply and demand imbalances. Speaking at an emergency meeting of EU energy ministers convened by the Cyprus Presidency, Jørgensen stressed the need for unified action amid rising concerns over prolonged disruptions caused by the conflict in Iran and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. Oil prices have surged 70% and natural gas by 50%, driven by constrained supply routes and limited alternative sources, with the European Commission highlighting particular vulnerability in the transport sector due to heavy reliance on diesel and jet fuel imports from the Gulf.
Jørgensen noted that while the EU faces a "severe situation," member states have differing energy structures and will ultimately decide their own measures. Possible steps include fuel rationing, promoting remote work, and reintroducing "car-free Sundays," a policy used during the 1970s energy crisis. He also advised governments to delay maintenance at oil refineries to maintain output and explore biofuels as a short-term alternative. In a letter dated March 30 seen by Euronews, Jørgensen outlined these recommendations to EU governments. The European Commission is engaging with alternative suppliers, including the United States and Canada, though concerns remain over the bloc's refining capacity and overdependence on specific import channels.
Cypriot Energy Minister Michael Damianos, representing the EU presidency, echoed the call for unity, stating, "We need to coordinate ourselves and strengthen our security, protect our competitiveness and safeguard our economic future." The Commission is preparing a toolbox of measures to help shield households and businesses from the economic fallout.
When Jørgensen warns against "fragmented national responses," he is acknowledging that the EU's energy vulnerability stems not just from external shocks but from internal disunity. The revival of 1970s-style measures like "car-free Sundays" signals a retreat from modern energy confidence to crisis-era improvisation. That the Commission is leaning on the US and Canada underscores a strategic dependency it has long sought to escape. This is not just an energy crisis — it's a test of whether the EU can act as one entity when survival is on the line.
