Brussels, 09/02/2012 (Agence Europe) - European Energy Commissioner Günther Oettinger will soon be in Algeria to sign a strategic agreement. No date has yet been given but official sources speak of a visit “in coming weeks”. According to statements from the Algerian Foreign Ministry published in the press, “the text has now been finalised”. The European Union (EU) has been negotiating a strategic energy agreement with Algeria since 2008.
Algeria is the second largest gas supplier for Europe after Russia. It is also Europe's 13th largest oil supplier. Italy is the EU country most concerned by Algerian gas supplies. According to the specialised press, contracts underway provide for annual deliveries of almost 34 billion m3 of gas. Algeria thus becomes Italy's leading supplier, meeting 32-37% of the country's gas requirements, compared to 29% for Russia. (FB/transl.jl)