EU Gas Cut Plans Beyond EU Treaties: Polish Official

A leaked plan by the EU Commission to encourage EU nations to reduce gas consumption goes beyond EU treaties and breaches national sovereignty according to a tv interview with Polish energy security official Piotr Naimski.

• “A plan is emerging for solidarity cuts in gas use across Europe - these are actions that go beyond the EU treaties,” he said, “Poland has regulations in place that have made us ready for limitations in energy supplies and now it turns out that decisions that are made by our government would be made in Brussels, ... the crisis is becoming a pretext to take away the prerogatives of sovereignty,”
• Polish gas storage is near capacity but is relatively small versus consumption levels. Poland is running its LNG import capacity near full and intends to import gas from Norway next year which leaves them in one of strongest positions in Europe to move away from Russian gas flows. Poland has not received Russian gas since April after flows were cut off for refusing to pay in roubles.
• The EU has been on edge this week after Germany began pulling gas out of storage to meet supply commitments, fuelling fears that 80% storage levels ahead of winter may be difficult to achieve unless more drastic action is taken.
• The EU executive arm is due to unveil contingency plans on 20th July for reducing demand and to boost energy savings.