The 5th International Conference “EU – Russia Energy Dialogue: Gas Aspect” arranged by the Russian Gas Society (RGS) took place in Berlin today.

More than 350 delegates participated in the forum. Speeches were delivered by Stanislav Tsygankov, Head of the International Business Department of Gazprom; Valery Yazev, Deputy Chairman of the State Duma of the Russian Federation, President of RGS; Domenico Dispenza, President of the European Union of the Natural Gas Industry (Eurogas); as well as heads of major Russian and European energy companies and the energy sector unions and associations.

In his speech, Stanislav Tsygankov particularized the current issues of the Third Energy Package. The crucial significance of these issues requires prompt clarification to be given by the European Union officials. Therefore, the EU – Russia energy dialogue should be intensified to discuss and indispensably coordinate the Third Energy Package aspects that affect Russia as one of the main gas suppliers to the European market.

“Clear and unambiguous interpretation of the Third Gas Directive is not a whim of Gazprom, but an objective need that all the EU member states will face when adapting it,” noted Stanislav Tsygankov.

Background:

The Third Gas Directive is a regulatory legal act of the European Union governing the relationships among the European gas market players. Most provisions of the Directive are to be implemented in the national legislations of the EU member states before March 2011.

Basic provisions of the Third Energy Package envisage ownership unbundling of vertically integrated energy companies and restriction on investments from third countries.