EU countries pledge to release 42.6 mln barrels of strategic oil reserves

European Union (EU) member states have pledged to accelerate the release of 42.6 million barrels of strategic oil reserves over the coming months, nearly half of which will be diesel, European Commissioner for Energy and Housing Dan Jorgensen said Thursday.



EU energy ministers met in Luxembourg to discuss energy security ahead of the winter, energy prices and measures to stabilize diesel supplies.



Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Jorgensen said relevant EU member states had reaffirmed their commitment to accelerating the release of 42.6 million barrels from strategic reserves.



Jorgensen warned that the EU faced a difficult winter. While he did not expect problems with energy supply security for the time being, he acknowledged that the situation remained challenging for people struggling to pay their energy bills.