Natural gas: common rules for the internal market

The rapporteur stressed that Parliament’s main concerns, which specifically related to the safety and supply of natural gas within the European Union and the storage and use of installations, including maintaining long-term contracts, had been accepted by the Council. He therefore called on Parliament to vote against the four re-tabled amendments, considering that this compromise represented the successful conclusion of six years of work and discussions. Commissioner Papoutsis thanked the EP for speeding up its procedures, which would allow the Council to meet its deadlines. He also indicated that several Member States intended to go beyond the directive’s requirements, which would lead to greater liberalisation of the market in question.