EU starts overhauling gas security rules

BRUSSELS, July 16 (Reuters) - European Union countries will have to bolster their defences against future gas crises, the EU's executive arm said on Thursday as it launched new gas security rules aimed at averting any fresh cut-off.

EU states must have the infrastructure by 2014 to cope with a 60-day loss of their main gas source in winter, the European Commission said in a statement.

The 27-country EU would declare an emergency if it lost 10 percent of gas imports, the Commission said.

The proposal is the EU's main policy response after a pricing dispute between Russia and transit country Ukraine cut gas supplies to Europe during freezing January weather. (Reporting by Pete Harrison; Editing by Dale Hudson)