Brussels, 24/09/2012 (Agence Europe) - Gazprom is believed to be planning to comply with EU legislation on the liberalisation of the energy markets in order to avoid a European Commission investigation into breach of competition (see EUROPE 10692).
According to the press agency Interfax, the Russian gas giant is not ruling out the possibility of changing the structure of its assets in Europe to comply with the requirements of the third Community package of legislation on the liberalisation of the energy markets, including the separation of the supply and transport activities of energy operators (unbundling). In line with the 'gas' directive 2009, which prohibits gas groups from operating both in distribution and in transport networks, Gazprom may create two subsidiaries - Gazprom Storage & Transport for infrastructure and Gazprom Holding for distribution - according to the agency Interfax. This would allow the Russian gas provider to avoid the investigation opened against it in early September by the Commission, further to a complaint from Lithuania, for abuse of dominant position and manipulation of prices in several countries of central and eastern Europe, which are highly dependent on supplies of Russian gas.
When contacted, the Commission was unable to comment on this information. Early last week, it was open to compromise, with the Energy Commissioner expressing his confidence that the Europeans and Russians would “show professionalism to resolve this dossier”. Energy Commissioner, Günther Oettinger is to meet the new Russian energy minister, Alexander Novak, later in November. (EH/transl.fl)