The European Commission is preparing a proposal on the mandatory gas reserves of the EU member states in order to eliminate the EU's dependence on fossil energy carriers from Russia, according to the draft seen by the DPA news agency.
According to the document, the EU member states must ensure that the gas storage tanks are at least 90 percent full by November 1 of each year, "since interruptions in the pipeline gas supply can occur at any time," the draft states.
The proposal, which is expected to be published on Wednesday, comes amid serious concerns about the EU's energy supply, as Russia's operations in Ukraine and subsequent sanctions have raised the possibility of a shutdown of Russian gas supplies.
According to the draft, the EU's executive body will also carry out inspections to monitor temporary gas storage levels before the November deadline. Germany itself is planning similar measures, which would take effect in May.
Source: MTI
Featured image: Origo
