Meeting in Strasbourg on Thursday 7 April, MEPs approved by a very large majority (516 votes in favour, 25 against and 15 abstentions) the European Commission’s proposal for a regulation aimed at guaranteeing sufficient gas reserves for the coming winter in the event of the reduction or cessation of Russian supplies.
They then voted to refer the proposal back to the Parliament’s Committee on Industry, Research and Energy (ITRE) so that the negotiating team can start discussions with the EU Council (‘trilogue’) as soon as possible.
The team will be led by Jerzy Buzek (EPP, Poland) and consists of Patrizia Toia (S&D, Italy), Klemen Grošelj (Renew Europe, Slovenia), Marie Toussaint (Greens/EFA, France), Paolo Borchia (ID, Italy), Zdzisław Krasnodębski (ECR, Poland) and Sandra Pereira (The Left, Portugal).
Presented on 23 March, the proposed regulation would, in particular, oblige EU countries to ensure that underground gas storage facilities on their territory are filled to at least 80% of their capacity by 1 November 2022, and then to 90% for the following years, by assigning them filling trajectories (see EUROPE 12917/7).
Given the urgency of the matter, MEPs decided to use the urgency procedure provided for in Rule 163 of Parliament’s Rules of Procedure, thus proceeding directly to a vote in plenary session without the prior adoption of a report (see EUROPE 12926/20). (Original version in French by Damien Genicot)