Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2010-09-21-Speech-2-008"
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"en.20100921.3.2-008"2
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"Mr President, in recent years, we have witnessed repeated examples of the vulnerability of Member States with respect to energy matters, particularly as regards the gas supply.
This regulation ensures the security of all European citizens, who, from now on, will find themselves better protected in the event of a crisis. Moreover, it also provides Member States with a degree of flexibility, enabling them to include additional protected customers, such as public services.
However, the legitimate eagerness of a Member State when it comes to protecting consumers in its national market must be balanced by an undertaking of solidarity with citizens of other Union Member States.
In the event of a crisis, the regulation obliges gas supply companies to supply protected customers for a minimum, uninterrupted period of 30 days. Moreover, Member States must either build, or upgrade, their infrastructures in such a way as to improve the integration of the internal energy market and reduce the existence of energy islands.
One of the most important achievements of this regulation is the fact that it imposes reverse flow on the gas interconnections of all Member States, thus complying with criteria such as need and viability. Reverse flow, by means of investments in the short term and at an acceptable cost, will enable the unprecedented diversification of supply within Europe. In this sense, the Yamal pipeline is an obvious example, given that it supplies Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Germany via Belarus.
Another achievement of Parliament is the important role given to the Commission, which acquires the power of veto with respect to specific measures if it deems that these may endanger the security of supply to other Member States.
Furthermore, the Commission will play a decisive role in coordinating between Member States in any crisis situation through the auspices of the Gas Coordination Group. This regulation provides a real solution to a real problem. It strengthens gas supply security and obliges all market stakeholders to collaborate in dealing with serious supply problems in the future.
Proper and efficient market functioning, the building of interconnections and supplier and route diversification are the best defence against future crises.
Mr President, the regulation concerning gas security represents a profound qualitative change in which Member States are leaving aside purely national schemes to enter fully into an ambitious European approach.
It is true that it has taken two crises with dangerous consequences to awaken the EU conscience of some Member States, but their attrition is very welcome if it has the same consequences as contrition.
Lastly, Mr President, this regulation represents an historical milestone on the road to gas supply security in the Union and is irrefutable proof of the worthiness of our great integration project. The proper and swift application of this regulation will send out a very strong message to our suppliers, who are almost always our friends; that as far as gas supply is concerned in the Union, the motto of ‘every man for himself’ no longer holds. It has been replaced by ‘all for one and one for all’.
Supply disruptions in the north and east of the European Union in the winters of 2005-2006 and 2008-2009 became a veritable nightmare. The harshness of recent winters in Europe makes it even more incumbent upon us, if possible, to do everything that is in our power to avoid similar occurrences in the future.
The majority of the Union’s energy supply is imported; hence, diplomacy can play an important role in this strategic area. We are all aware of the efforts made by the Commission in this area, which we greatly appreciate, but we need to equip ourselves with more directly effective mechanisms.
We must bear in mind that, in the supply crises that we have experienced, national market rules and the lack of interconnections prevented fully satisfactory aid being provided to the Member States affected.
The regulation we are going to vote on is intended to be a firm step forward in resolving this problem. We have spent a long time trying to make progress on this issue, overcoming the difficulties arising from the different national perspectives. It has been a long and hard negotiation process.
The agreement we are voting on today shows that Member States have looked beyond their particular interests in order to accept a much more European focus. Once the regulation is adopted, we will then have a powerful instrument with which to increase gas supply security in the European Union as a whole.
The regulation was adopted unanimously by the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy after the successful outcome of the trialogues with the Council.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of the shadow rapporteurs for their excellent work, duly reflected in the text, as well as all of the committee members who provided opinions, a significant number of whose important amendments were incorporated into the text.
I would also like to thank the European Commission for the valuable support given to the colegislators and to acknowledge the generous collaboration of the Spanish Presidency of the Council, which kept us fully updated on the progress of the work it was doing."@en1
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