The EU wants to move to mandatory joint purchases of gas

BRUSSELS, 16 Oct – PRIME. The European Union could make mandatory joint purchases of 15% of the gas it uses, European Commissioner for Justice Didier Reynders said in an interview with the RTL TV channel.

“We would like it to be mandatory (joint purchases – ed.). I think that countries could accept that 15% of the purchased volume would be purchased jointly by those companies that use this gas,” he said.

Earlier it was reported that the European Commission (EC) on October 18 plans to agree on a new package of measures in the energy sector, which may include joint purchases of gas. EU energy ministers may consider these measures at a meeting on 25 October.

The EU created an energy platform in the spring. The EC materials specify that it is called upon to play a key role in pooling demand, coordinating the use of infrastructure, negotiating with international partners and preparing for joint purchases of gas and hydrogen in the EU. The platform is a voluntary coordination mechanism. The European Commission clarified last week that so far there have been no joint purchases of gas for the EU.