The Eurocommision declined the purchase request of “Gasprom” of 50% in one of the largest stock exchanges in Europe – the Central European Gas Hub (CEGH). EU authorities decided that the deal which ought to bring Gasprom into the spot gas market in the Western Europe does not coincide with the Third energy package which forbids gas producers to run stock trading with gas. Such information was delivered by ”Kommersant” newspaper.
The EU policymakers, according to the Vice-Chairman of “Gasprom” Alexander Medvedev, assumed that due to this deal the Russian concern may “enslave the European gas market”. The Eurocommision refused to comment Medvedev’s speech, and the official documents about the deal decline of “Gasprom” are still not published.
“Vedomosti” newspaper noted that there was no any direct refusal to “Gasprom”, but European regulators set such conditions to the concern which it could not accept.
“Kommersant” asserts that the Eurocommission was confused by the fact that presently “Gasprom” controls about a quarter of gas deliveries in Europe at the cost of long term supply chains, and now it can get a control stake on the stock market. The deal of “Gasprom” with CEGH would mean the trades upturn in Europe exactly with the Russian gas and the European consumers are too dependent now, according to Brussels.
“Gasprom” has been running negotiations on buying CEGH with the Austrian OMV since 2008. That time the sides signed a memorandum of intention to sell 50% of the stock exchange to “Gasprom” that would solidify the concern positions essentially on the gas-distributing market of Europe. The amount of possible deal was not submitted.
CEGH is one of the major stock playgrounds of gas in Europe together with the French PEG Nord, Dutch TPP and the British NBP. In addition, CEGH owes a gas storage in the Austrian Baumgarten that allows it to coordinate the exchange deals with actual gas deliveries.
“Gasprom” revenue of gas export to Europe in the current year will total to 60 billion dollars. Such statement was made by the Vice-Chairman of the gas concern Alexander Medvedev, - RIA Novosti informs. Earlier “Gasprom” forecasted a revenue of 53-55 billion dollars.
Mevdedev added that in January-May 2011 the general export revenue of “Gasprom” reached 36,3 billion dollars. Last year the export revenue of concern from the gas export to far abroad was reaching 44 billion dollars.
“Gasprom” expects the gas export to touch 158 billion cubic meters in the current year, including the European countries – up to 155 billion c.m.