03/02/2023 (Agence Europe) – The French Minister for Energy Transition, Agnès Pannier-Runacher, encouraged Spain and Germany, on Thursday 2 February, to support Paris’ request, along with eight other EU Member States (see EUROPE 13112/8), for low-carbon hydrogen to be included in the EU’s Renewable Energy Directive (RED II). “We are counting on the support of Spain and Germany”, the minister said in an exchange with some media, including EUROPE, while deploring the “turn of events” regarding the interinstitutional negotiations (‘trilogues’) on the revision of the directive. She highlighted the recent strengthening of ties between France and these two countries in the field of hydrogen, through the BarMar gas pipeline project and the Franco-German declaration of 22 January (https://aeur.eu/f/58a ). Therefore, it would be “incomprehensible” if Madrid and Berlin “held different positions in Brussels”, said Ms Pannier-Runacher. (DG)