EU member states are considering empowering the European Commission to allow more flexible targets for filling gas storage facilities if prices skyrocket due to speculation or market manipulation, Bloomberg reports.

After the 2022 energy crisis, Brussels imposed mandatory targets on EU member states for gas storage facilities to have a buffer in case of new supply shocks. The main goal is to have 90% of EU underground storage facilities filled by November 1, with interim targets in February, May, July and September. The system is set to expire in December 2025, according to Agerpres.

According to documents seen by Bloomberg, the proposed changes to gas storage regulations include a provision mandating the European Commission to increase the already planned deviation from the 90% gas storage target by five percentage points. Such a measure could be decided “in the event of prolonged adverse market conditions,” according to a proposal drawn up by Poland and sent to the rest of the EU member states on Friday.

In early March, the EU executive proposed maintaining the target of 90% gas storage capacity by November 1 of each year until 2027. Instead, the interim targets will become “indicative,” which traditionally means in EU law that they will not be binding. But the Commission’s proposal will have to be negotiated and approved by EU countries and the European Parliament.

According to Bloomberg, during rounds of talks in recent weeks, EU countries have discussed a series of amendments to make the targets more flexible, with the aim of reducing the costs associated with filling gas storage. Changes already include replacing the November 1 deadline with a longer period between October 1 and December 1, as well as accepting a deviation of up to five percentage points for each member state from the 90% target if market prices excessively increase the costs of filling storage.

The new amendments will be discussed by member states at a meeting on April 1 and the final version could be ready before the next meeting, which will take place a week later. The final version is likely to be submitted for approval at the April 11 meeting of member states’ ambassadors to form the member states’ common negotiating position. For its part, the European Parliament has the right to come up with its own amendments, so the final version will be established during the trilateral negotiations that will also include the Commission.