According to the senior officials at European Union (UN), the relationship with the Gulf countries for energy supply remains very important for the EU and it will continue to be so.
“It’s a very strong relationship. Till most recent time, it continued on a bilateral level. We hope now to renew the cooperation with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) which is now effective and dynamic again,” the officials stated in an interview.
Officials noted that good relations with the Gulf countries in oil and gas supplies are expanding to other issues, such as diversification in clean energy transformation. Almost all countries in the Gulf region are developing important projects for clean energy hydrogen.
“We have very good relations with the Gulf and very good prospect for intensifying in the light of our Green Deal,” stressed the officials.
Earlier, the EU Energy Commissioner Ms. Kadri Simson visited Qatar and will visit again most likely in March to promote energy cooperation between the EU and the Gulf. Meanwhile, Ms. Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission is expected to engage with world leaders, including from the Gulf, next month to secure energy supplies to Europe.
The EU is also working with the US and other countries regarding the issue of energy supply related to developments in Ukraine.
“As we are preparing for sanctions (on Russia) we are also preparing for counter-sanctions in the energy field,” said the officials.
Recently, the EU and the US jointly committed to Europe’s energy security and sustainability and to accelerate the global transition into clean energy.
US President Joe Biden and European Commission President Ms. Ursula said in a joint statement that “We commit to intensifying our strategic energy cooperation for the security of supply and will work together to make available reliable, and affordable energy supplies to citizens and affordable energy supplies to citizens and businesses in the EU and its neighborhood.”
EU imports 40 percent of its gas supply from Russia, around 39 percent from Norway, and the rest in LNG, noted the EU officials. LNG supply to the EU in 2021 totaled 80 billion cubic meters. Russia had the share of 18 percent, the US 20 percent, Nigeria 17 percent.
