The EU on Wednesday presented a "toolbox" of measures to mitigate an energy crunch that threatens to send Europeans' power bills soaring. The European Commission has been under pressure to act on the looming crisis, even though individual EU governments are more directly responsible for their energy sources and taxation. Consumers' "concern is understandable, justified," said EU energy commissioner Kadri Simson as she unveiled the proposals. "Winter is coming and for many, electricity bills are higher than they have been for a decade. We have seen gas price surge across the world driven mostly by demand in Asia."