Gas directive: Provisional agreement on new rules for gas pipelines to and from third countries

The rules governing the EU’s internal gas market will in future also apply to gas pipelines to and from third countries. The Romanian Presidency of the Council reached a provisional agreement with the European Parliament on an amendment to the so-called gas directive. The agreement will now be submitted to the member states’ representatives in the Council for endorsement.

– I am very pleased that we have reached an agreement so quickly. It fills a gap in the EU’s legislative framework in the energy field and will ensure that the rules of the Energy Union are applied consistently across the EU – said Anton Anton, Energy Minister of Romania.

The aim of the proposed amendment to the gas directive is to ensure that the rules governing the EU’s internal gas market apply to gas transmission lines between a member state and a third country. This will make the EU’s legal framework more consistent, enhance transparency and ensure legal certainty for both investors in gas infrastructure and users of the network.

The provisional agreement with the European Parliament was reached only two working days after the Committee of Permanent Representatives gave a mandate to the Presidency of the Council to start the negotiations.

Background and next steps

The amendment to the gas directive was proposed by the European Commission in November 2017. The European Parliament adopted its position on the file in April 2018 and the Council on 8 February 2019. Today’s provisional agreement is subject to endorsement from both institutions before it can become law.

The Council of the European Union