On 8 May 2025, the European Parliament endorsed a proposal to relax gas storage requirements ahead of the winter season. This move responds to concerns from EU Member States that the existing binding targets contribute to rising gas prices and disrupt market stability.
Key Changes to the Rules
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Reduced Target Fill Level: The mandatory target for filling gas storage facilities has been lowered from 90% to 83%, with the new target to be met at any point between 1 October and 1 December.
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Flexibility Under Adverse Conditions: In the event of unfavourable market conditions—such as high prices or supply disruptions—Member States may deviate from the target by up to four percentage points. The European Commission may grant an additional four-point deviation if these conditions persist.
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Minimum Storage Threshold: The overall storage fill level must not fall below 75% in order to safeguard energy security.
Long-Term Extension and Additional Measures
The Parliament also approved an extension of the EU gas storage regulation, originally adopted in 2022, until 31 December 2027. The regulation was introduced in response to reduced gas supplies from Russia following its invasion of Ukraine and was designed to ensure sufficient reserves for the winter months.
In addition, Members of the European Parliament called for a complete ban on imports of Russian gas, including liquefied natural gas (LNG), to reduce the EU’s dependency on Russian energy. This proposal reflects the EU’s ongoing effort to diversify its energy sources and reinforce energy resilience.
Next Steps
Negotiations between the European Parliament and the Council of the EU will now follow to reach a final compromise. The first round of talks is scheduled for 13 May, with the goal of finalising the agreement by July.
If approved in time, the new regulations could already apply to this year’s gas storage targets for the upcoming winter season.