Yesterday (9.12) representatives of Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia, Greece, Italy, Romania and Slovenia as well as European Commission Vice-President for Energy Union Maroš Šefčovič met to discuss gas infrastructure priorities for Central- and South-Eastern Europe.

To achieve this common objective, and "in view of the vulnerability of the region as demonstrated in the recent stress tests," these Member States decided to complete projects already underway and speed up the development of projects of common interest identified as being of strategic importance. In this context, Member States welcomed the joint statement signed on the same day by Greece, Bulgaria and Romania on a natural gas "Vertical Corridor" connecting these three countries. The new Vertical Gas Corridor aims to ensure uninterrupted bidirectional supplies, while promoting the EU’s Priority Corridor "North-South" and "Southern Corridor," though the rapid realization of the Projects of Common Interest.

In their joint statement, the three ministers refer to facilitating access to diversified supplies both through interconnectors and LNG terminals as well as to storage facilities.

It was agreed that the more general issue of Europe's energy security will be further discussed in broader terms having in mind the new scenario of gas supply.