BERLIN - German gas lobby Zukunft Gas on Monday said attempts by the European Union to put a lid on wholesale gas prices was a "political illusion" that would not work in practice.

Managing Director Timm Kehler said in a statement to Reuters it would make more sense to curb demand via a Europe-wide mechanism to allocate gas volumes. "But that is not on the table in Brussels," he added.

EU energy ministers were considering a compromise proposed by the Czech presidency after failing to agree a method to cap prices for months, where Germany, the biggest member state and mainland Europe gas market, criticised caps, fearing they will work towards blocking access to gas in the world market.

(Reporting by Vera Eckert, editing by Thomas Escritt)