Answer given by Ms Simson on behalf of the European Commission
29.8.2022
As the EU imports 90% of its gas consumption, with Russia providing in 2021 more than 40% of the EU’s total gas consumption, 27% of oil imports and 46% of coal imports, the EU needs to diversify its energy supplies in order to phase out dependence on Russia.
Diversification efforts are ongoing. The Commission is concentrating on increasing capacity of existing pipelines and growing its supplier base for LNG[1]. In the first half of 2022, total gas imports from Russia (via pipeline and as LNG) decreased by 32% compared to 2021. In the long-run, the strategy remains to drastically reduce fossil energy consumption and thus increase energy independence.
The Commission has no plans to include the Nigeria-Morocco gas pipeline among its priorities for the joint purchase of gas, as this pipeline is unlikely to materialise before 2030, where the EU will have reduced gas consumption by at least 30%.
The Commission financing instrument for external action, NDICI-Global Europe[2], does not support actions incompatible with the Paris Agreement. Actions that promote investments in fossil fuels or cause significant adverse effects on the environment or the climate are generally not supported.
The Commission carefully selects energy projects on a case-by-case basis in order to ensure the cost effectiveness of the energy services and its contribution to an optimal trajectory of the green transition, ensuring future proofing and avoiding the risk of stranded assets.