In a recent statement, Vice-President Šefčovič shared the successful outcome of the second gas tender conducted through the EU Energy Platform. The EU Energy Platform was established to facilitate joint purchasing of gas by companies and has shown promising results since its launch.
The second call for joint gas purchasing, which commenced on June 26, has received an overwhelming response. The demand gathered during this round reached nearly 16 billion cubic meters, indicating an increase of over 4 billion cubic meters compared to the first round. This achievement alone has surpassed the Council’s objective for the entire year.
Renowned international suppliers have shown great interest in meeting the aggregated demand for gas, submitting bids to supply a total volume of 15.19 billion cubic meters. Vice-President Šefčovič expressed his gratitude to the 25 suppliers who participated in the tender.
The EU Energy Platform effectively matched the most favorable offers with customer demands, resulting in a total volume of 11.98 billion cubic meters being successfully matched. Notably, this volume exceeded the first round’s results by 1 billion cubic meters.
Among the matched volume, liquefied natural gas (LNG) accounted for 5.5 billion cubic meters, while pipeline gas covered the remaining 6.4 billion cubic meters. These outcomes have exceeded expectations, demonstrating the value and need for collaborative efforts in ensuring stable and affordable gas supplies to the EU market.
Šefčovič emphasized the importance of the EU Energy Platform’s continued success and its potential to become a regular marketplace for European industry and suppliers. Looking ahead, he expressed the intention to expand this joint purchasing model to include other commodities such as renewable gases, hydrogen, and strategic raw materials.
After a summer break, the third round of joint gas purchasing will take place, where further improvements to the system will be considered based on feedback received. The EU Energy Platform aims to establish a sustainable and efficient model that benefits all stakeholders involved.
https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/SPEECH_23_3828