New rules on security of gas supply

Briefing 14-04-2016

On 16 February 2016 the European Commission proposed a new regulation on security of gas supply as part of its sustainable energy security package, in order to develop a stronger collective response to future supply risks, particularly concerning Russian gas arriving via the Ukrainian transit route. The Commission proposal would replace the existing regulation (in force since December 2010) and address weaknesses highlighted in an implementation report, EU gas stress tests and a public consultation. The Commission proposal seeks to improve rather than overhaul the existing regulation, and keeps many of its key features intact. Major innovations include a solidarity principle that prioritises households and essential social services during an emergency situation; mandatory regional preventive action and emergency plans (rather than national plans) based on new templates; fewer exemptions on bidirectional capacity at cross-border interconnectors, in order to facilitate reverse gas flows; increasing the scope of contractual information provided to the Commission; involving the Contracting Parties of the Energy Community in security of gas supply measures; and exploring the options for voluntary joint purchasing of natural gas. A more recent edition of this document is available. Find it by searching by the document title at this address: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/thinktank/en/home.html