EU to reject Poland's energy union plan?

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Speaking to German daily Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, Oettinger said that “gas is a product, not a policy weapon for the EU.”

The comment comes as Prime Minister Donald Tusk recently put forward the idea of an energy union which would see the EU buy gas a single bloc from external sources, notably Russia’s Gazprom.

However, Oettinger did state that he is for the development of the EU’s gas pipeline network in order to increase connectivity between member states and enhance energy security. According to the commissioner, such a move would prevent Russia from playing one EU country off against another.

Oettinger told the daily that the European Commission had come up with a concept for energy security, billed to be presented at the next EU summit in June.

One of the proposed measures would be to enforce competition rules on Gazprom, as Oettinger mooted that there were signs that the Russian gas giant was abusing its position to prohibit the resale of gas contracted in other states, FAZ reports.

The energy commissioner also called upon Ukraine to pay its outstanding gas bill, and that it should pay a similar amount to EU countries, between 350-380 dollars per 1000 cubic metres. “The 485 dollars demanded by Gazprom is unwarranted,” Oettinger told the daily.

Meanwhile, a spokesperson for Commissioner Oettinger has rebuffed the opinion that Commissioner Oettinger outright rejects the idea of an energy union.

Speaking to Polish Radio on Thursday morning, Commissioner Oettinger’s press spokesperson Sabine Berger underlined that “[the Commissioner] believes that gas prices cannot be predetermined politically, but by the market.” (jb)

Updated 12:43 - comment added from Commissioner Oettinger’s spokesperson