EU proposes extending regulation on gas storage filling

On 5 March 2025, the European Commission proposed extending the Gas Storage Regulation until the end of 2027. The move aims to ensure continued security of energy supply and stability in the European gas market amid the current geopolitical situation and volatility in global gas markets.

The original Gas Storage Regulation was adopted in June 2022 in response to the energy crisis caused by reduced gas supplies from Russia following its invasion of Ukraine. The regulation required EU Member States to fill their gas storage facilities to at least 90% of capacity by 1 November each year to ensure sufficient gas reserves for the winter. EU gas storage levels are currently at their lowest since 2022.

Extending the regulation until 2027 is intended to ensure that the EU remains prepared for the coming winter seasons in a coordinated manner. Energy Commissioner Dan Jørgensen said that gas storage protects EU citizens from the risk of supply disruptions and that it is therefore essential to continue using this tool. He also stressed the need to give Member States sufficient flexibility in meeting these targets, to avoid market disruption and ease pressure on the market.

Concerns over rising gas prices

Some Member States, including Germany and the Netherlands, have expressed concern that strict storage-filling requirements could drive up gas prices by signalling to the market that purchases are mandatory. These countries are therefore calling for greater flexibility in meeting the targets, especially during the summer months, so that they can fill storage facilities when market conditions are optimal.

The price of gas at the Dutch Title Transfer Facility (TTF) rose in recent days in response to rising geopolitical tensions, making summer deliveries more expensive than winter deliveries. However, on 6 March 2025, the price fell back below EUR 40 per MWh and is currently trading around that level.

In its proposal, the European Commission takes these concerns into account and recommends that Member States consider current market conditions and allow flexibility when deciding on measures to replenish gas storage during the summer. This should help prevent disruption to the internal energy market or negative impacts on the energy security of other Member States or the EU as a whole.

The regulation also includes mechanisms for monitoring and coordination between Member States to ensure the effective and consistent implementation of this measure across the EU.

The Gas Storage Regulation is a European Union legal act requiring Member States to ensure that their gas storage facilities are filled to a specified level before the start of the winter heating season. Its aim is to strengthen the EU’s energy security by providing a reserve of gas in the event of unexpected supply disruptions or increased demand during the winter. The proposal must now go through the approval process.