EC Energy Emergency - preparing, purchasing and protecting the EU together

Today (2022/10/18), we propose to equip the EU with the legal tools to jointly purchase gas. The Platform should first and foremost coordinate the filling of gas storage facilities, in line with our filling targets. For the next winters until 2025,including the 2023-2024 one, a gap of uncontracted demand of up to 100 bcm per year is estimated in case of a full interruption of Russian supplies. If storage supplies are  depleted at the end of this winter, their filling to 90% by November 2023as required by the EU Gas Storage Regulation may be more difficult than for this winter. To enable joint purchasing, especially for the filling of gas storages, the Commission proposes:

• Demand aggregation at EU and Energy Community partners level, grouping together as import need sand seeking offers on the market on that basis;
• A mandatory participation by Member States in the EU demand aggregation for at least 15% of their storage filling obligations;
• A voluntary purchasing system, allowing companies to form a European gas purchasing consortium. The Commission stands  ready to accompany companies in the design of the consortium and rapidly issue a decision on inapplicability of Articles 101 and/or102 TFEU if relevant substantive conditions are respected.

Joint purchasing will facilitate a more equal access to new suppliers and international markets and give more negotiating weight to European importers. Russian supply sources will be excluded from participation in the Platform.