Role of gas storage for securing gas supplies ahead of the winter season
The European Parliament adopted by 425 votes to 106, with 43 abstentions, amendments to the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Regulation (EU) 2017/1938 as regards the role of gas storage for securing security of gas supply ahead of the winter season.
The matter was referred back to the relevant committee for interinstitutional negotiations.
Filling targets
Members believe that the general framework established to meet the Union's natural gas needs must strike a balance between energy security and a return to market-based principles. It must therefore be sufficiently flexible to allow for swift adaptation to constantly changing market conditions and, in particular, to ensure that the best purchasing conditions are met in order to lower gas prices in Europe.
Members therefore propose lowering the filling target from 90% to 83%, which must be achieved at any time between 1 October and 1 December of each year.
Member States should have the possibility to deviate by up to four percentage points from the filling target in the case of unfavourable market conditions, relating, inter alia, to factors such as supply and demand and competition, or of trading activities hindering cost-effective storage filling, that significantly limit the ability to ensure that the gas storages are filled in accordance with this Regulation.
Moreover, the Commission should be empowered to adopt delegated acts to amend for one filling season the level of the allowed deviation of four percentage points by increasing it by up to an additional four percentage points, in the case of persistent unfavourable market conditions.
The cumulative effects of the flexibilities and derogations in this Regulation should not bring down the overall storage filling obligations under 75 %.
Monitoring
Member States with underground gas storage facilities should submit to the Commission in due time an indicative filling plan for the whole calendar year to reach the yearly gas storage filling target.
The competent authority of each Member State should continuously monitor compliance with the filling target set out in the filling plan and report regularly and at least monthly to the Commission and the Gas Coordination Group. If it appears that the target cannot be achieved, the competent authority must take effective measures without delay to achieve the target. Member States must inform the Commission and the Gas Coordination Group of the measures adopted.
In the event of a substantial and sustained deviation by a Member State from the filling plan, the Commission should, where appropriate, after consulting the Gas Coordination Group and the Member States concerned, issue a recommendation to that Member State or to the other Member States concerned regarding measures to be taken immediately to remedy the deviation or to minimise the impact on the security of supply.
When a Member State does not meet the filling target, the Commission should adopt an implementing act setting a filling plan for that Member State for the year after, based on the technical information provided by each Member State and taking into account the assessment of the Gas Coordination Group.
A Member State without underground gas storage facilities should ensure that market participants within that Member State have in place arrangements with underground storage system operators or other market participants in Member States with underground gas storage facilities. Those arrangements should provide for the use, by 1 December, of storage volumes corresponding to at least 15 % of the average annual gas consumption over the preceding five years of the Member State without underground gas storage facilities.
Installation managers
Storage facility operators should report the filling level to the competent authority of each Member State in which the underground gas storage facilities concerned are located and, where appropriate, to an entity designated by that Member State. The competent authority and, where appropriate, the designated entity of each Member State should monitor the filling levels of the underground gas storage facilities located in their territory at the end of each month and report the results to the Commission on a monthly basis without delay.
The gas coordination group should assist the Commission in monitoring the filling target.
Full embargo on Russian gas
Members believe that, in view of Russia's ongoing war against Ukraine and in line with the EU's strategic commitment to ending its dependence on Russian fossil fuels, Member States should refrain from storing gas of Russian origin. In this context, the EU should apply coordinated and immediate sanctions on the import and purchase of all Russian gas, including liquefied natural gas (LNG). Members added that a full embargo on Russian gas is necessary and feasible, the swift implementation of which would contribute to strengthening the EU's energy sovereignty and geopolitical resilience.