The EC has banned the import of pipeline gas from Russia through joint purchases.

The mechanism of joint purchases of “blue fuel” for the European Union cannot be used to purchase Russian pipeline gas, the European Commission (EC) said in a release.

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“The possibility of using the mechanism of joint purchases for the import of Russian pipeline gas is clearly excluded,” it says.

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On Tuesday, the EC proposed a series of new measures to tackle the EU’s energy crisis, among them the introduction of mandatory purchases of some 13.5 billion cubic meters of gas to fill storage facilities by the winter of 2023-2024.

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In the spring, the EU created an energy platform that was supposed to help prepare for joint purchases of gas and hydrogen in the EU. The platform is a voluntary mechanism. So far, there have been no joint purchases.