Parliament approved by law the GEO 64/2016, a decision welcomed by Energy Minister Anton Anton as a consensus that “strengthens and supports the process of liberalization of the Romanian gas market based on the principles of competition, transparency and non-discrimination”.

“The decision taken today by the Parliament, constantly supported by the Ministry of Energy, is also an important step in having a legal framework adapted to the European legislation and the desiderata assumed by Romania in the gas sector, both at regional and European level”, the minister said. He added that “with the approval of this law, Romania’s target of becoming a regional energy hub and a stability factor in the region gets more substance”.

The draft law for the approval of GEO 64/2016 was approved by the Senate in February 2017; then, it was under public debate, and over 50 amendments were admitted by the Committee for Industries and Services. Modified versions reached twice the Plenary of the Chamber of Deputies, from where they were sent back to the Committee. On June 13, 2018 – 16 months after the project was registered with the Chamber of Deputies for debate – the project received a favorable additional report from the Committee for Industries and Services. Some of the proposed amendments have been abandoned (e.g. imposing a sole operator for the natural gas centralized market). Others – including setting a 50% quota of gas produced in Romania for mandatory trading on centralized markets – have found their place in a draft amendment to Law 123 – (PL-x No 338/2018) -adopted on May 22 by the Senate and June 13 by the Chamber of Deputies and is now in the process of its constitutionality being verified.