EU bill ensures gas supply during crises

The bill is aimed at avoiding a repetition of the January 2009 gas supply crisis when Russian gas monopoly Gazprom cut off all natural gas supplies to Ukraine, a major transit country, following a series of disputes. Many EU countries were left without gas in freezing temperatures for days on end.

The bill stipulates stricter guarantees making European gas companies liable to ensure gas supplies to householders in case of extreme temperatures, periods of exceptionally high demand and in the event of infrastructure disruption.

"Member States will need to ensure that even if their biggest source of gas or a large part of the network fails, the remaining network is capable of meeting total daily gas demand on a day of "exceptionally high demand" (which, statistically, happens once every 20 years)," a statement on the European Parliament's website said.

The legislation, which explicitly specifies actions "against countries - not EU member states," aims to unite the gas market in the region for the benefit of all countries, Kommersant sited experts as saying, adding that the bill is not strictly anti-Russian, although it goes against Russia's gas strategy. Russia is one of the EUs main gas suppliers.

The regulation is a "genuinely powerful instrument" for improving the security of gas supplies and a "milestone regarding this issue in the EU," Spanish MEP Alejo Vidal Quadras (EPP) was cited by the European Parliament's website as saying.

"If applied speedily and effectively it will be a powerful message to our gas suppliers that Europe stands all for one and one for all in the crises," he added.

National governments are expected to approve the bill by the end of this year. Kazinform cites RIA Novosti. See www.en.rian.ru for full version.