The European Commission on Russia-Ukraine gas talks

January 4, 2006.

    The European Commission follows the talks very closely. We are concerned but remain confident that an agreement will be reach and that both Russia and Ukraine will honour their commitments to supply European gas markets.
    European Commissioner for Energy, Andris Piebalgs, decided today to convene a meeting of the Gas Coordination Group next Wednesday in Brussels. This group is foreseen by Article 7 of Council Directive 2004/67/EC of 26 April 2004, concerning measures to safeguard security of natural gas supply. The purpose of this meeting is to have a coordinated approach of the Commission and the member States and to be ready to face all eventualities.
    Even if a limited part of European supplies were to be interrupted, given the level of gas stocks and supplies from other areas this would not cause an energy crisis in Europe in the short and medium term.