The second session of interinstitutional negotiations between the Council of the EU and the European Parliament on the ‘gas’ package will be held on Tuesday 18 July and will focus on a number of political points in the Directive and the Regulation. These are the first exchanges of views on this package aimed at facilitating the ramp-up of renewable or low-carbon gases (see EUROPE 13192/25).
The EU Council adopted its position on 28 March (see EUROPE 1315/11), while Parliament adopted its position in the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy (ITRE) on 9 February (see EUROPE 13119/6).
Regarding the Directive
The co-legislators will begin discussions on four political points, with no agreements expected at this stage.
The first concerns the separation of transport network operators from hydrogen distribution network operators, as called for by Parliament. The second, also proposed by Parliament, looks at the heating and cooling plans that Member States should impose on regional and local authorities, as set out in the Energy Efficiency Directive (see EUROPE 13139/11), and how distribution network development plans should be implemented.
Discussions will then focus on the protection of vulnerable consumers, energy poverty and the monitoring of energy security, as will shortly be negotiated in the text on the reform of the electricity market (see EUROPE 13217/11). Finally, the point concerning the prioritisation of sectors that are difficult to decarbonise is also on the agenda.
To view the four-column document: https://aeur.eu/f/84t
Regarding the Regulation
The co-legislators will be focusing on cross-border coordination of gas quality (‘blending’), for which a ‘happy medium’ could be found during the negotiations, since the positions on the blending rate are not far apart: the EU Council is aiming for 2%, Parliament for 3%.
Negotiators will also be discussing the diversification of gas imports and imports from third countries, with an attempt to agree on a reference to “banning Russian gas”.
There will also be discussions on the extension of provisional measures - in this case, the joint purchase of gas - as well as the creation of a European Network of Network Operators for Hydrogen (ENNOH) as an independent structure, as proposed by the Commission and the EU Council, while Parliament has opted for a merger with the existing ENTSO-G gas network.
A point pushed by the Regulation’s rapporteur, Jerzy Buzek (EPP, Polish), concerning increasing the production of renewable and low-carbon gas in coal- and carbon-intensive regions such as Poland, through new funds, will also be addressed.
To view the four-column document: https://aeur.eu/f/84s (Original version in French by Pauline Denys)