Storage: is it an answer to security of supply concerns ?

Speaker: Mr Klaus-Dieter Barbknecht, President of Gas Storage Europe (GSE) 
GSE is a division of Gas Infrastructure Europe (GIE) and represents the Storage System Operators (SSOs) in 26 countries.

In March 2005, an agreement on the Guidelines for Good Practice with regard to Access to Storage Facilities was reached between all participants in the Madrid Forum (European Commission, Member States, regulatory authorities, associations representing the storage users and GIE/GSE). In order to match the market needs, these voluntary Storage Guidelines are targeting transparent and non-discriminatory access to the storage facilities along with the development of Third-Party Access services.

GSE is urging its members to implement those guidelines according to the agreed timetable, as from 1 April 2005. GSE will also actively contribute to the monitoring report to be made by the regulatory authorities on compliance with the Guidelines by the SSOs.

Mr. Barbknecht presented:
– the objectives of the Guidelines 
– the role of GSE in the implementation of the Guidelines 
– preliminary assessments with regard to efficiency of such voluntary Guidelines