27/06/2025 (Agence Europe) – On Friday 27 June, the Permanent Representatives of the Member States to the EU (Coreper) validated the provisional agreement reached with the European Parliament on 24 June concerning the extension until the end of 2027 and the revision of the regulation on gas storage, introducing flexibilities to achieve the annual rate of 90% filling of gas reservoirs (see EUROPE 13666/35, 13667/13). Only Hungary and Slovakia voted against the text, because of the references to abandoning Russian fossil fuels. The next step for Parliament is to approve the provisional agreement at the plenary session in Strasbourg in July, following a vote in the parliamentary committee on 26 June (see EUROPE 13668/32). On the Council side, validation at ministerial level is still required and could potentially take place in September, after the summer break. (PLD)