Europe Can Handle A Month Without Russian Gas, Says Oettinger

Europe can easily handle a month without Russian gas, while it could have some more problems in case of a six-month gas disruption, said European Commissioner Gunther Oettinger during the Informal Energy Council held in Milan on Sunday and Monday.

On the same occasion, Italy’s Deputy Minister for Economic Development Claudio De Vincenti said that Roma is well intentioned to move forward with its plans to remain the end point of the Trans Adriatic Pipeline. De Vincenti also confirmed that the pipeline will arrive in Meledugno, Apulia, despite local opposition. 

In Milan, European Ministers also agreed on the need to foster an higher level of integration, betting on interconnections and new projects. Ministers pointed at LNG projects in the Baltic as examples of successful joints efforts. 

“In order to become an integral part of the continental Europe network system, the development of the interconnections among Member States and a fully-functioning EU energy market are the main aspects conditioning the attainment of this goal,” Lithuania’s Minister of Energy Rokas Masiulis said in a note.