The National Regulatory Authority for Energy (ANRE) initiated a draft order for the amendment of the regulations of the centralized natural gas trading platforms, so that it is possible to conclude contracts with delivery periods longer than 367 days.

Thus, the new provisions show that “long-term flexible product market principles/ requirements are the following: the launch of a sales/ purchase offer as well as the introduction of response offers for this type of product are allowed to any participant in the centralized gas market, according to the provisions of the specific regulation and procedures of this market segment and under the conditions set out in the contract of participation signed with the operator of the centralized market, for the whole period of its validity,” according to Agerpres.

Also, bids for sale and purchase must contain at least the following elements: the price and the adjustment formula, which can not be changed later; the amount and the range in which it may vary, which can not be changed later; the delivery profile and the delivery period, which may not be less than 367 days.

ANRE also introduces the possibility that the price is expressed in currencies, such as euro/ MWh and USD/ MWh, “mainly to stimulate the trading of natural gas on medium and long term import, as the purchase price from exporters is expressed in foreign currency and is based on an external reference to the Romanian market, variable monthly/ quarterly”.