BRUSSELS (Reuters) – A dozen European Union countries have been affected by cuts to gas supply from Russia, EU climate policy chief Frans Timmermans said on Thursday.

Timmermans said ten of the EU’s 27 member countries have issued an “early warning” on gas supply – the first and least severe of three levels of crisis identified in EU security of energy supply regulations.

EU countries are required to have plans in place for how they would manage a supply disruption at the three levels.

(Reporting by Kate Abnett)