Brussels, 10/10/2003 (Agence Europe) - The Algerian Minister for Energy and Mines, Chakib Khelil, is certain to reach agreement with the European Commission on gas supply contracts connecting state-run Soanatrach and the Italian group ENI, but he has called for greater co-operation from the European side. On the sidelines of the World Forum on Energy Regulation in Rome on 7 October, Mr Khelil said: "we are still negotiating with ENI (...) but we expect the European Commission to be helpful (...) We would like the European Commission to be more involved in finding a solution". He added that the partner companies were continuing their dialogue in search of a solution, which would be economically acceptable to all concerned. The Algerian Minister specified that discussions related to existing, not new, contracts "which do not contain destination clauses". Algeria is the fourth biggest exporter and the fifth largest producer of gas in the world, and exports over 90% of its gas to Europe in pipelines through Spain and Italy. It is worth noting that the Commission has been investigating contracts concluded between several European and non-European gas producers for many months, which included restrictive clauses that could be harmful to free trade. Last year, it reached agreement with the Norwegians Statoila and Norsk Hydro, with Nigeria LNG and ENEL, and, just a few days ago, with Gazprom and ENI.