Not only Eni. While the EU fights for the embargo oil Russian Deputy Prime Minister, announced several times and postponed just as often Alexander Novak reported that about half of the customers of the Russian gas giant Gazprom opened accounts with Gazprom Bank To make payments according to the new method established by Russia, that is, in ruble. “About 54 companies, large, medium and small, have agreements with Gazprom Export. According to my information, about half are already open Special accounts in our authorized bank, in foreign currency and rubles‘, underlined according to reports from Interfax. Novak added that some large companies have already paid for Russian gas using the new method, and data will soon be available showing who paid in rubles and who refused.
On the legitimacy of these steps appeared Brussels stammering and shared, but on Thursday the spokesman for the commission Eric Mamer He said the situation was clear: as the vice president said Frans Timmermans “You can open an account “at Gazprombank” in euros or dollars but “respecting the Kremlin decree” by paying in rubles “is not in line with the sanctions. If Gazprombank takes the sum and puts it in a second ruble account opened in its name, that’s another matter. The clarification, said Mamer, does not contradict the words of the Economic Commissioner Paolo Gentiloniwhich yesterday gave the green light for payments in euros or dollars, but “he never talked about a second account in rubles “. It therefore seems to be understood that all companies that opened accounts in rubles – like Eni – violate the application of the sanctions.
A week ago the Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi had talked about”gray area“Because” there is no official statement that payments in rubles violate the sanctions”. After conceding room for manoeuvre, the six-legged friend broke the delay the day before yesterday and announced that he had started “as a precautionary measure”, given the “foreseeable upcoming payment deadlines for the next few days”. , opening of euro and ruble accounts at the Russian institution. At the same time, however, the first clarification came from Brussels: the gray area does not exist, “lOpening a ruble account goes beyond the indications which we have given to the Member States’, according to which companies should, after paying the sum in euros or dollars, make a ‘clear declaration’ that the contractual obligations have been met. Not only that: Mamer added: “It is therefore the member country that has to enforce the sanctions it is the country that must ensure that companies comply with the sanctions“. Ergo, the fact that the Italian oil and gas giant made the decision “in accordance with the Italian institutions” is an aggravating circumstance for Rome.
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Gas, EU Vice President Tiemmermans: “Eni’s decision violates the sanctions”. Commissioner Gentiloni: “No violation”
On Wednesday, a new stop came from the Vice President of the Timmermans Commission: “Paying in rubles means violating the sanctions. And it’s also a breach of the agreed contracts that state what currency to pay in.” Former Prime Minister Gentiloni seemed to deny him when answering a question about Eni, but in reality he had sidestepped the question: “If you ask me” if they pay in rubles a violation?” it’s a different answer,” is his quote, reported by Ansa, “but this is not what European companies do and I believe that the method of payment is at least similar if not identical when we talk about companies dealing with energy.
The truth is that the situation is still very unclear: if the ruble account in itself is a violation, then Eni and all the other companies of the Brussels line disagree. However, the group explained that the Russian authorities had assured that “the invoicing (actually received by Eni in the last few days in the contractually correct currency) and the associated payment by Eni they will continue to be made in euros, as contractually stipulated“And” the operational activities of conversion the currency from euros to rubles is carried out by a special Clearinghouse operating on the Moscow Stock Exchange within 48 hours of credit e without the participation of the Central Bank of Russia“. Are you okay? It doesn’t seem, according to Mamer: the mere existence of a ruble account in the name of the European importer goes beyond what EU directives allow.
Meanwhile, the EU is at the forefront trying to secure measures from the perspective of energy reservesAgreement between the European Parliament and the EU Council about the new rules to which governments will be obliged fill their gas deposits before this winter and next year. “We have a quick political agreement on our proposal for warehouse Gas, essential to prepare for the coming winter. The EU is able to act quickly and as one,” said the Energy Commissioner Kadri Simson. “There will be full gas depots for the winter instead of gas shortages,” said MEP Jerzy Buzek, who led the negotiations for the European Parliament. The co-legislators agreed that underground gas storage should take place on the territory of the Member States at least 80% full before winter 2022/2023 etc 90% before the following winter periods.
The Union will collectively aim to fill 85% of underground gas storage capacity in 2022, according to a statement from the EU Council. As not all Member States have storage facilities on their territory, those without them would have access to gas storage reserves in other Member States. An exemption was granted a Cyprus, Malta and Irelandthat are not directly connected to the gas network of other Member States. Council and Parliament must now officially take over the provisional political agreement. In the Council, the provisional political agreement is first submitted to the Permanent Representatives Committee for approval. The agreement will then be adopted at first reading by the European Parliament and then by the Council.