In their negotiating mandate, however, state representatives stipulated that the obligation should expire in 2026, according to a statement on Wednesday. A different regulation is planned for countries with particularly large storage facilities.
The law stipulates that gas reserves should be 80 percent full by November 1 this year, and 90 percent by the same date in the next few years. Parliament had also already determined its position, so negotiations can begin so that the law will come into force in time for winter.
The EU Commission proposed the law in March to secure the gas supply and curb price fluctuations. The EU has resolved to get rid of Russian energy supplies as quickly as possible – according to a Commission proposal, gas imports are to be reduced by two-thirds by the end of the year. The authority plans to present more detailed plans for this next week.
The EU countries have agreed to include stocks of liquefied natural gas (LNG) in the storage quantities. In addition, the obligations for states that have particularly large storage facilities that they do not use completely themselves should be adjusted. This applies to Austria, for example. EU countries that do not have gas storage facilities should have access to reserves in other countries and bear the costs. There should be exceptions to the mandatory reserves for Cyprus, Malta and Ireland as long as they are not linked to the gas networks of other EU countries.
The law also stipulates that operators of gas storage facilities must in future receive a license that can be revoked if they endanger the energy supply, for example through low levels. If operators have their license revoked, they have to sell shares or can be expropriated.
Source: Nachrichten
