MOSCOW, December 8 The bill prepared by the EU, according to which member countries will be able to independently block gas imports from Russia, is unlikely to have a radical effect, Andrey, CEO of Reksoft Consulting, said in a commentary Skorochkin.
The EU has prepared a bill that will allow member countries to block gas imports from Russia, the Financial Times reported, citing a document obtained by the publication.
It is clarified that, according to the document, EU member states are proposed to be given the authority to prohibit Russian and Belarusian companies from accessing gas pipelines and liquefied gas terminals. The bill could allow EU energy companies to terminate contracts with Russian gas suppliers without having to pay compensation, according to a senior EU official.
«In general, it seems that all possible restrictions have already been introduced and, in my opinion, there is no reason to expect a radical effect. The issue of compensation in this case lies on the political plane and is regulated by appropriate processes, and not business logic,» Skorochkin said.
Commenting on the dynamics of Russian gas supplies to Europe, the agency’s interlocutor noted that a reduction in imports from Russia this winter is unlikely.
“In the current situation, absolutely anything is possible,” added Dmitry Scriabin, portfolio manager of Alfa Capital Management Company, noting that about 23 billion cubic meters of gas per year are currently supplied to Europe.