Whereas securing energy supply in compliance with the Energy Community acquis is a task ultimately for national authorities to fulfill, origins and effects of security of supply crises or disruption do not stop at the frontiers of one Party. Crises prevention and reaction is by nature a genuine cross-border issue.
Establishment
In 2006 the EU's Gas Coordination Group was created pursuant to Directive 2004/67 relating to measures that guarantee security of natural gas supply. These rules on security of gas supply were further strengthened by the Regulation (EU) 994/2010. Building on the lessons drawn from the Russian-Ukrainian gas crisis of January 2009, a more coordinated approach was needed at European level to provide stable and secure energy supply to European citizens. The January 2009 gas crisis also showed the vital role of gas storages and bidirectional flows as short-term crisis response.
Chaired by the European Commission, the Gas Coordination Group is composed of gas competent representatives of the EU-27, the European organizations of the gas sector and consumers. The Group meets regularly (at least 4 times per year) to exchange information and to develop both short and long term concrete measures which reinforce the security of gas supply to the EU. Its task is:
- to facilitate the coordination of security of supply measures at Community level, improving preparedness of the EU and EnCT countries with regards to supply disruptions, and,
- to examine and assist its Member States in coordinating the measures taken at national level during a crisis.
Energy Community
After the January 2009 gas crisis, the Energy Community Secretariat was invited to take part to the Group's meetings as an Observer. On 11 August 2011, the European Commission decided (Decision 2011/C 236/09) to include the Energy Community Secretariat as a full member of the Gas Coordination Group.
As the representative of the Energy Community, the Secretariat prepares at least twice a year questionnaires on the Contracting Parties’ level of preparedness for the coming winter, or, summer season. It also scrutinizes the security of supply measures in relation to the households customers. This information is then shared to the other members of the Group.
