During the plenary session of the European Parliament in Strasbourg, MEPs debate on the security of gas supply.

Strasbourg

debate

plenary session

oil and gas market (T)

KALNIETE, Sandra (EPP, LV)

OETTINGER, Günther (DE, EC)

SARYUSZ-WOLSKI, Jacek (ECR, PL)

VIDAL-QUADRAS, Alejo (EPP, ES)

SONIK, Bogusław (EPP, PL)

Security of gas supply: extracts of the debate

https://api.multimedia.europarl.europa.eu/documents/20125/14028721/ebs72368Chapters%5BSD-EN%5D.srt

SOUNDBITE (Spanish), Alejo VIDAL-QUADRAS (EPP, ES), We have to bear in mind that in the supply crisis we've gone through the national market rules and the lack of an interconnected European grid have prevented Member States which were affected from getting proper help. What we need is take a decisive step forward in solving this problem.

SOUNDBITE (Spanish), Alejo VIDAL-QUADRAS (EPP, ES), Once this is all approved, we will have a genuinely powerful instrument , one that will improve superiority of gas supply to the Union as a whole. The regulation was adopted in the Energy Committee unanimously.

SOUNDBITE (Spanish), Alejo VIDAL-QUADRAS (EPP, ES), This regulation will guaranty supply to every European citizen who will find themselves better protected, from now on, in case of a crisis.

SOUNDBITE (Spanish), Alejo VIDAL-QUADRAS (EPP, ES), One of the most important added values of this regulation has been to impose to all Member States to deal with reverse flows in their interconnections of grids respecting cost efficiency. Reverse flow with affordable short term cost to improve supply in an unprecedented way in Europe.

SOUNDBITE (Spanish), Alejo VIDAL-QUADRAS (EPP, ES), Another important added value for the Parliament is the specific measures that the Commission can apply if they think that security of supply is under threat

SOUNDBITE (German), G&#252;nther OETTINGER, Member of the EC in charge of Energy, We should be grateful that we have this proposal which is come from the Commission negotiations with Parliament negotiation with Member States have been conducted over the course of just one year and they have been constructive and we now have a result this is good news. It is good news for businesses; it is good news for citizens in the EU.

SOUNDBITE (German), G&#252;nther OETTINGER, Member of the EC in charge of Energy, We have a number of minimum standards; they are binding now, they apply to all households and I think it is a signal of solidarity. I also think it shows that European id doing something for its citizens. We are also talking about this 30 day period under extreme circumstances and what would be necessary during that period of time if ever infrastructures were to experience any problems if they were to be fluctuations, or peaks in terms of demand. 30 days of security!

SOUNDBITE (German), G&#252;nther OETTINGER, Member of the EC in charge of Energy, The Commission as far as it is concerned would like to make sure to have a clear policy on external energy partners . We have a coordination group that has been introduced by the Commission, and it would be meeting in order to look at the regulation to make sure that it is role is fully exercised in this.

SOUNDBITE (English), Jacek SARYUSZ-WOLSKI (EPP, PL), here are some important omissions however especially in the external dimension of the EU energy policy. The regulation omits the role of High Representative and only vaguely refers to the Southern corridor of Nabucco and cooperation with our ENP partners. Overall text is a huge progress however or rather may be if duly implemented.

SOUNDBITE (Polish), Bogus&#322;aw SONIK (EPP, PL), This is also about security of gas supply. We have been campaigning for years for the security of gas supply to be treated as a priority subject in the European Parliament; We can not be dependent on only one supplier, which is Russia. Russia uses the gas supply as a means of exerting pressure on us and I think that we have especially careful about it.

SOUNDBITE (Latvian), Sandra KALNIETE (EPP, LV), As a Member of IMCO committee I would appreciate several points where the Parliament has improved this proposal first of all we have made a more precise definition of protected customers who receive gas in extreme situation, secondly we have strengthened also the solidarity principle of the EU emphasising cooperation between the regions and also enlarging the competences of the Commission.