Considerations on COM(2002)488-3 - Measures to safeguard security of natural gas supply - Main contents
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This page contains a limited version of this dossier in the EU Monitor.
| dossier | COM(2002)488-3 - Measures to safeguard security of natural gas supply. |
|---|---|
| document | COM(2002)488  |
| date | April 26, 2004 |
(2) Following Directive 98/30/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 22 June 1998 concerning common rules for the internal market in natural gas(4) and Directive 2003/55/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 26 June 2003 concerning common rules for the internal market in natural gas and repealing Directive 98/30/EC(5), the Community gas market is being liberalised. Consequently, regarding security of supply, any difficulty having the effect of reducing gas supply could cause serious disturbances in the economic activity of the Community; for this reason, there is a growing need to ensure security of gas supply.
(3) The completion of the internal gas market necessitates a minimum common approach to security of supply, in particular through transparent and non-discriminatory security of supply policies compatible with the requirements of such a market, in order to avoid market distortions. Definition of clear roles and responsibilities of all market players is therefore crucial in safeguarding security of gas supply and the well-functioning of the internal market.
(4) Security of supply obligations imposed on companies should not impede the well functioning of the internal market and should not impose unreasonable and disproportionate burden on gas market players, including new market entrants and small market players.
(5) In view of the growing gas market in the Community, it is important that the security of gas supply is maintained, in particular as regards household customers.
(6) A large choice of instruments are available for the industry and, if appropriate, for Member States, to comply with the security of supply obligations. Bilateral agreements between Member States could be one of the means to contribute to the achievement of the minimum security of supply standards, having due regard to the Treaty and secondary legislation, in particular Article 3(2) of Directive 2003/55/EC.
(7) Indicative minimum targets for gas storage could be set either at national level or by the industry. It is understood that this should not create any additional investment obligations.
(8) Considering the importance of securing gas supply, i.e. on the basis of long-term contracts, the Commission should monitor the developments on the gas market on the basis of reports from Member States.
(9) In order to meet growing demand for gas and diversify gas supplies as a condition for a competitive internal gas market, the Community will need to mobilise significant additional volumes of gas over the coming decades much of which will have to come from distant sources and transported over long distances.
(10) The Community has a strong common interest with gas supplying and transit countries in ensuring continued investments in gas supply infrastructure.
(11) Long-term contracts have played a very important role in securing gas supplies for Europe and will continue to do so. The current level of long term contracts is adequate on the Community level, and it is believed that such contracts will continue to make a significant contribution to overall gas supplies as companies continue to include such contracts in their overall supply portfolio.
(12) Considerable progress has been made in developing liquid trading platforms and through gas release programmes at national level. This trend is expected to continue.
(13) The establishment of genuine solidarity between Member States in major emergency supply situations is essential, even more so as Member States become increasingly interdependent regarding security of supply.
(14) The sovereign rights of Member States over their own natural resources are not affected by this Directive.
(15) A Gas Coordination Group should be established, which should facilitate coordination of security of supply measures at Community level in the event of a major supply disruption, and may also assist member States in coordinating measures taken at a national level. In addition, it should exchange information on security of gas supply on a regular basis, and should consider aspects relevant in the context of a major supply disruption.
(16) Member States should adopt and publish national emergency provisions.
(17) This Directive should provide rules applicable in the event of a major supply disruption; the foreseeable length of such a supply disruption should cover a significant period of time of at least eight weeks.
(18) Regarding the handling of a major supply disruption, this Directive should provide for a mechanism based on a three step approach. The first step would involve the reactions of the industry to the supply disruption; if this were not sufficient, Member States should take measures to solve the supply disruption. Only if the measures taken at stage one and two have failed should appropriate measures be taken at Community level.
(19) Since the objective of this Directive, namely ensuring an adequate level for the security of gas supply, in particular in the event of a major supply disruption, whilst contributing to the proper functioning of the internal gas market, cannot, in all circumstances, be sufficiently achieved by the Member States, particularly in light of the increasing interdependency of the Member States regarding security of gas supply, and can therefore, by reason of the scale and effects of the action, be better achieved at Community level, the Community may adopt measures, in accordance with the principle of subsidiarity as set out in Article 5 of the Treaty. In accordance with the principle of proportionality, as set out in that Article, this Directive does not go beyond what is necessary in order to achieve that objective.