Answer given by Ms Simson on behalf of the European Commission
6.9.2022
The EU has a clear framework to ensure gas security of supply, set out notably in the gas security of gas supply Regulation[1] which includes provisions regarding cooperation and coordination between Member States and a solidarity mechanism.
Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the EU responded in a united way, by swiftly agreeing on a REPowerEU Plan[2] to phase out Russian fossil fuels as soon as possible, and complemented by a gas demand reduction regulation[3] in the framework of the ‘Save gas for a safe winter’ plan[4], and a gas storage regulation[5].
For the latter, Member States agreed to a fair burden-sharing mechanism to meet their legal obligations.
Building on the priorities identified in the fifth Projects of Common Interest (PCI) list[6], the regional assessment of additional gas infrastructure for REPowerEU shows that limited additions of gas infrastructure will be needed to fully compensate the end to Russian gas imports by 2027[7].
Identified projects should be implemented as soon as possible in line with REPowerEU[8], where appropriate, with support from the Connecting Europe Facility[9] Energy or the Recovery and Resilience Facility. PCIs shall be granted the status of the highest national significance possible and be appropriately treated in the permitting processes.
EU gas storage facilities, if filled to 100%, have the capacity to store volumes corresponding to the average consumption of more than 3 months, with strong variations amongst Member States.
However some storage facilities have not just a national, but a regional function. In the preparation of the EU winter preparedness analysis and in the framework of the storage regulation, the Commission has carried out several iterations, assessing the impact of a full Russian supply disruption and remains in close contact with all actors involved to monitor the situation.
- [1] Regulation (EU) 2017/1938 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25 October 2017 concerning measures to safeguard the security of gas supply and repealing Regulation (EU) No 994/2010.
- [2] https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/IP_22_3131
- [3] https://eur‐lex.europa.eu/legal‐content/EN/TXT/?toc=OJ%3AL%3A2022%3A206%3ATOC&uri=uriserv%3AOJ.L_.2022.206.01.0001.01.ENG
- [4] https://energy.ec.europa.eu/system/files/2022‐07/Communication%20Save%20gas%20for%20a%20safe%20winter.pdf
- [5] https://eur‐lex.europa.eu/legal‐content/EN/TXT/?uri=uriserv%3AOJ.L_.2022.173.01.0017.01.ENG&toc=OJ%3AL%3A2022%3A173%3ATOC
- [6] Fifth Union list of Projects of Common Interest, https://eur‐lex.europa.eu/legal‐content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:32022R0564
- [7] List of projects can be found in Annex III to REPowerEU plan COM(2022)230, https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=COM%3A2022%3A230%3AFIN&qid=1653033742483
- [8] Communication REPowerEU Plan COM(2022)230, https://eur‐lex.europa.eu/legal‐content/EN/TXT/?uri=COM%3A2022%3A230%3AFIN&qid=1653033742483
- [9] Regulation (EU) 2021/1153 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 7 July 2021 establishing the Connecting Europe Facility and repealing Regulations (EU) No 1316/2013 and (EU) No 283/2014 (Text with EEA relevance), PE/52/2021/INIT, OJ L 249.