The European Union has obliged foreign gas suppliers to confirm that the fuel they export is not of Russian origin. The relevant EU Council resolution was published in the "Official Journal of the European Union", reports Lenta.ru.
The document refers to exporters from Turkey and Azerbaijan. They will have to provide evidence of the non-Russian origin of the gas supplied by one of the "Stranja-1/Malkochlar" compressor stations located on the Bulgarian border. The "Stranja-2/Malkochlar" station is located nearby, the onshore continuation of the sea section of the "Turkish Stream" gas pipeline, which previously supplied Russian gas to the countries of Eastern and Central Europe.
The EU Council noted that until recently, significant volumes of Russian fuel were delivered via these routes, which contradicts the bloc's strategy of phasing out Russian energy sources. The regulation requires the provision of "indisputable evidence" that the country of origin of the gas is not Russia.
By March 1, member states must prepare national plans to switch gas suppliers and identify potential challenges to the phasing out of Russian imports. European authorities have emphasized that the continued import of Russian energy resources, including liquefied natural gas and oil, may negatively affect the region's energy security.
