Brussels (AFP) – The 27 European countries are expected to agree on Thursday to conclude joint deals to buy gas to reduce their dependence on Russian production, but they remain divided over the electricity price ceiling proposed by Brussels.
After experiencing mass procurement of Covid vaccines during the pandemic, the European Commission said today, Wednesday, that it is “ready to establish” an EU-wide gas procurement platform to diversify its supply sources.
During their summit on Thursday and Friday, leaders of member states are expected to give the green light, according to the draft conclusions.
Eager to isolate Moscow after its invasion of Ukraine, Brussels wants to cut its purchases of Russian gas by two-thirds this year. By compiling the applications, the commission said it would “facilitate contacts with international suppliers” and could obtain “appropriate prices” thanks to the union’s economic weight.
The commission, which is already discussing with major producing countries (Norway, the United States, Qatar and Algeria), added that it would “negotiate with suppliers and prepare future energy partnerships”. Commission President Ursula von der Leyen met the heads of major European energy groups on Monday.
It is also expected that the Europeans will decide this week to “coordinate to ensure adequate levels of gas stocks”.
The Commission wants each member state to fill its reserves to “at least 80%” of its energy needs by November 1, and then to 90% before each winter in the following years, with specific intermediate targets being met from February to October.
This legislative proposal, unveiled Wednesday, must be approved by the 27 countries and the European Parliament.
#prepares #gas #deals #reduce #dependence #Russia