The preliminary agreement, if concluded, would reduce the EU’s use of fossil fuels and reduce the bloc’s dependence on fossil fuel imports.
On Friday, December 8, the European Union reached a preliminary political agreement on gas regulation, which will allow member countries of the bloc to ban the import of liquefied gas from Russia and Belarus, the EU Council reported.
It was noted that the European Parliament and the Council of the EU reached agreement on a regulation establishing common internal market rules for renewable and natural gases and hydrogen. The purpose of the law is to facilitate the penetration of renewable and low-carbon gases into the energy system, especially hydrogen and biomethane.
The regulation will contain provisions that allow EU member states to impose restrictions on the supply of natural gas, including liquefied natural gas from Russia or Belarus, in order to protect the main security interests of the countries or the European Union.
“This agreement will bring many benefits to consumers and our planet. It will reduce our use of fossil fuels and reduce our dependence on imported fossil fuels. It will allow the transition to renewable energy sources and improve security of supply. And importantly, it will protect consumers.” on Ecological Transformations and Demographic Problems of Spain Teresa Ribera Rodriguez.
After the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, EU countries gradually reduced their dependence on Russian energy resources. However, the EU still receives around one-tenth of its gas supplies from the Russian Federation, including LNG supplies. Some member states, notably Austria and Hungary, remain dependent on supplies from Russia.
Despite the war, Ukraine allows Russian gas to pass through its territory to countries such as Austria, Slovakia, Italy and Hungary. The current transit volume is 42 million cubic meters per day.
In the past, the media reported that the European Union still imports 50% of Russian liquefied gas, and dozens of European countries are buying Russian LNG. At the same time, Spain, Belgium and France increased LNG imports from Russia.
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Source: korrespondent
I am David Wyatt, a professional writer and journalist for Buna Times. I specialize in the world section of news coverage, where I bring to light stories and issues that affect us globally. As a graduate of Journalism, I have always had the passion to spread knowledge through writing.