EU to Probe Gas Exports Restrictions from Romania

The European Commission said on June 1 that the EC has opened a formal investigation to assess whether Romania’s gas transmission system operator Transgaz has been hindering gas exports from Romania to other EU Member States.

According to the EU’s competition chief, the Commission will investigate whether Transgaz has abused a dominant market position in breach of EU rules. The Commission’s antitrust investigation will focus on indications that Transgaz has devised a strategy to restrict gas exports from Romania to other Member States. Transgaz’s behaviour, if established, could lead to higher prices and less secure supplies of natural gas by decreasing liquidity on wholesale gas markets in Romania.

This behaviour could ultimately harm EU consumers and run counter to the Energy Union objectives of greater integration and increased security of supply in European energy markets.

"The Commission is determined to ensure that consumers throughout the EU enjoy secure energy supplies at affordable prices,” Competition Policy Commissioner Margrethe Vestager said.

"An integrated and competitive single European energy market is essential in this regard. We therefore need to investigate whether Transgaz has been abusing its dominant position by isolating the Romanian gas market and preventing its integration into the European gas network,” she added.