The European Union has warned its member states of an energy price crisis linked to disruption in oil and gas markets from the Iran war, as the 27-country bloc heads into winter with unusually low gas stocks.
Dan Jorgensen, the EU energy commissioner, set out the warning in a letter to energy ministers that was published on 25 September 2026 and seen by Reuters. “We are facing a price crisis linking to a supply crisis,” Jorgensen wrote.
He invited governments to consider measures that would curb energy demand. These could include taking, or continuing, steps to sustain injections into gas storage facilities and reduce consumption of gas and electricity.
The letter does not specify which countries face the greatest risk, the size of any expected supply shortfall or price increase, or which measures governments may adopt. It is also unclear whether the steps requested would be binding or advisory.
Jorgensen said the EU was better prepared than it had been in winter 2021, when Russia squeezed Europe’s gas supplies by reducing deliveries. He nevertheless said governments must step up preparations for this winter.
The immediate concern over prices and supplies comes alongside a longer-running question over the EU’s plans to end reliance on Russian energy. The European Court of Auditors has said the bloc is failing to invest enough to meet its goal of fully replacing Russian energy with diversified fossil fuel supplies.
The EU plans to expand renewable energy and grid infrastructure over the next few years, with the aim of increasing energy flows between member states. The court recommended that Brussels intervene more to ensure countries remain on track with the move away from Russian energy.
That leaves governments managing a winter in which gas storage levels are unusually low while oil and gas markets are facing disruption linked to the Iran war. Jorgensen’s request focuses on the less glamorous part of energy security: using less energy and putting more gas into storage while supplies remain available.
France has separately warned of a fresh oil shock. It has urged the EU to free up refinery capacity and sent a letter to EU leaders setting out energy security concerns.
The details of France’s proposed refinery measures and any timetable were not set out. Nor does the available information show how much of the current price pressure stems from the Iran situation compared with other market factors.
The EU’s warning therefore combines an immediate request for demand management with a wider concern about the infrastructure and investment needed to shift energy supplies. For now, Jorgensen’s letter asks member states to prepare for winter by protecting storage injections and reducing gas and electricity use where possible.
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