EU Accepts Romania's Pledge Not to Restrict Gas Exports
The European Commission (EC) on March 6 said it had accepted commitments made by Romania's national gas grid operator Transgaz to make capacity available for Romanian gas exports, particularly to Hungary and Bulgaria.
The EC launched a probe in June 2017 to investigate whether Transgaz had infringed EU antitrust rules by restricting Romanian gas exports, by under-investing in or delaying infrastructure, through tariffs or using unfounded pretexts.
Transgaz has now promised to make at least 1.75bn m3/yr of export capacity available at its Csanadpalota interconnection point with Hungary and 3.7bn m3/yr at its Giurgiu/Ruse and Negru Voda I/Kardam interconnection points with Bulgaria. The company will also ensure that tariffs are set that do not make exports unviable, and refrain from using any other means to hinder exports.
"Transgaz has committed to make available capacities at interconnection points for increased natural gas exports from Romania to Hungary and Bulgaria," the EC's vice president Margrethe Vestager said in a statement. "This will promote the free flow of gas at competitive prices in south eastern Europe and is a further step towards a single European energy market. Consumers across the region will benefit from greater security of supply of a key transition fuel towards the ultimate objective of an emissions free energy mix, in line with the European Green Deal."