On 2nd July the European Commission chaired an extraordinary meeting of the Gas Coordination Group to discuss contingency measures that can be implemented to prevent a repeat of last winter’s gas supply disruption problems.

The meeting examined the level of preparedness of the EU and EnCT to face a possible gas supply disruption in the coming weeks or months and identified the risks to gas supplies. The Gas Coordination Group stressed the potential of regional cooperation to mitigate the risks identified.

The January 2009 supply crisis highlighted the vulnerability of the EU to supply disruptions. A number of Member States are overwhelmingly dependent on one single supplier and one single supply route.
In the light of the uncertain gas storage situation in Ukraine, the meeting recommended that Member States need to be better prepared for the coming winter period and to immediately fill their gas storage facilities from all possible available sources.

The Gas Coordination Group was created in 2006 according to Directive 2004/67 relating to measures that guarantee security of natural gas supply. It is composed of gas competent representatives of Member States, the European organisations of the gas sector and consumers. The Group meets regularly (at least 4 times per year) to exchange information and to develop both short and long term concrete measures which reinforce the security of gas supply to the EU. It is now meeting each month given the uncertainty surrounding some external supply routes.

•Date: 3rd July 2009• Region: Europe •Type: Article •Topic: BC general
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