Brussels, 03/02/2015 (Agence Europe) - The energy union project will be at the centre of discussions during the weekly College of Commissioners meeting on Wednesday 4 February. The Commission will make known its proposals on 25 February and is expected to reveal the right formula for the common gas buying option. Commissioner Maros Sefcovic is in charge of the dossier and he favours a “voluntary solution”.
The Commissioner raised the issue during a visit to Warsaw, with the Polish Prime Minister Ewa Kopacz, on Monday 2 February. Sefcovic acknowledged to the press that many Western European countries opposed the idea of working as a single gas purchaser because they believe that this option violates the rules of competition and the free market. The point of view is different in Central and Eastern Europe and in member states that depend on rather significant supplies of gas from Russia and they would like to be able to work together on a voluntary basis in the event of market failure or crisis, explained the Commissioner.
Poland is dependent on Russia for 60% of its gas supplies, which are some of the most expensive prices paid in Europe. It is an ardent supporter of the option for joint gas buying. This option was at the core of the proposal put on the table last spring by its former Prime Minister, who is now the President of the European Council, Donald Tusk, in an effort to strengthen the negotiating position of Eastern European member states.
On Monday, Sefcovic emphasised the need for any negotiations based on “aggregation of demand” to be in full respect of EU law and WTO (World Trade Organization) obligations.
The energy union will be at the heart of a high-level conference organised by the Latvian presidency on Friday 6 February in Riga, which Sefcovic and European ministers are expected to attend. The Latvian Minister for the Economy, Dana Reizniece-Ozola, is hoping to launch the “Riga process”, which will kick off discussions on the project's key elements: security of supply, solidarity and trust, completion of the internal market, energy demand reduction and decarbonisation of the economy. (EH)