The projects carried out by Gaz-System, particularly the ones intended to diversify the gas supply sources, and the Company’s contribution to the achievement of the energy union objectives, were the key topics of the talks which President Tomasz Stępień attended on 9 October 2018. The visit to the capital of Belgium was also an opportunity to take stock of the 10-year operation of the Gaz-System’s office in Brussels which represents the Company in the European forum.
During the celebration of the 10th anniversary of the Gaz-System’s representation in Brussels, President Tomasz Stępień underlined the Company’s active involvement in the process of pursuing the EU energy policy objectives, focusing on the development of a competitive and balanced market and securing the supplies of affordable energy for everyone.
– We have accomplished a lot together over the last ten years to secure gas supplies and market integration. We have upgraded our infrastructure. We have put the LNG terminal in Świnoujście into operation. We integrate the transmission network with the neighbouring operators’ systems. We have built a new gas market model in Poland and provided it with effective tools – President Stępień highlighted. – Moreover, over this decade, our Company’s representatives have actively cooperated with the European Union institutions to adapt the EU law to the changes currently taking place in the markets and to speed up activities related to the European energy sector transformation. GAZ-SYSTEM, as a founding member of ENTSOG, was also actively involved in the design of rules and tools aiding the development of the European natural gas market – he added.
The President of Gaz-System recalled that the on-going pan-European debate about the significance of gas is of a long-term nature. – The key projects by Gaz-System: expansion of the LNG terminal in Świnoujście, connection to the Norwegian continental shelf through the Baltic Pipe project, development of cross-border connections and the development of the national transmission system are parts of the long-term policy for the diversification of gas sources and supplies and the change of their direction – he said.
Tomasz Stępień also emphasized the importance of cooperation with the EU institutions, the Permanent Representation of the Republic of Poland to the European Union, the European Commission, the European Parliament and sector-specific partners and organisations. – This is the best moment to thank members of the staff of the Representation in Brussels today for their involvement, professional attitude and complex support for our actions. With their help, we want to be an active and important part of the European gas market – he added.
While staying in Brussels, President Stępień also attended a meeting „LNG in Shipping” co-arranged by the Vice-President of the European Parliament, Prof. Zdzisław Krasnodębski, as part of the GasNaturally initiative. It provided an opportunity to discuss the growing role of LNG as a fuel in the EU and new ways of using it. The President of Gaz-System also presented the role and the functional capabilities of the President Lech Kaczyński LNG Terminal in Świnoujście, the benefits offered by LNG as a low emission fuel (in transport and other sectors), the LNG bunkering and the development of the infrastructure which makes it possible to flexibly handle and transport LNG by road or rail (small scale LNG).
The visit to the European Parliament was concluded with a meeting with a group of the European Parliament members.
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