In the run-up to the first session of inter-institutional negotiations on the ‘REpowerEU’ regulation on the complete phase-out of Russian gas (see EUROPE 13737/23), Eurogas, the European gas lobby, presented a series of adjustments on Friday 31 October to make the regulation “effective and practical for importers and Member State authorities”.
One of these proposals is to review the proposed prior authorisation mechanism for non-Russian gas imports that are not exempt under the Regulation. Eurogas considers that “imports of natural gas where the country of production is not the Russian Federation may be subject to ex post monitoring by authorising authorities”.
Otherwise, Eurogas considers that one working day could be sufficient. If prior authorisation is retained, the lobby believes that the regulation should provide for a 12-hour response period, after which authorisation is automatically granted “to provide legal certainty for importers”.
The organisation also rejects the European Parliament’s proposal for a minimum fine of 5% of a company’s total annual worldwide turnover in the event of an infringement. “Excessive penalties could also create unintended market effects, for example by incentivising LNG players to reroute non-Russian cargoes away from EU ports due to uncertainty as to whether an import will be authorised”, writes Eurogas.
Link to the recommendations: https://aeur.eu/f/jac (Original version in French by Pauline Denys)