Brussels, 7 July 2023
The European Commission has approved, under EU State aid rules, the reintroduction of a Dutch scheme to support the filling of the natural gas storage facility Bergermeer. The original scheme was approved by the Commission in July 2022 (SA.103012) and expired in March 2023.
The Netherlands notified the Commission of its intention to reintroduce the scheme, with a budget of €370 million. The scheme aims to provide incentives to the capacity holders of the storage facility to fill the seasonal gas storage, given the high price volatility in the market.
The aid will take the form of an insurance against negative winter-summer gas price spreads, i.e. when market gas prices are higher in summer for buying and storing gas, compared to the winter when selling it. The aid will incentivise market participants to fill seasonal gas storages by covering (i) the costs of storing gas during summer for the winter season when the winter-summer gas spreads are too low to cover costs; and (ii) potential losses incurred in case of negative winter-summer gas price spreads. The maximum amount of aid that the Netherlands could reach is €370 million. If in turn the average spread between winter and summer gas prices is positive and covers the costs of gas storing for winter, the Dutch authorities would not need to provide support. The aid will be awarded through a competitive tender process to ensure that the aid is kept at the minimum. The measure will apply for gas put in the storage unit until 20 October 2023.
The Commission assessed the measure under EU State aid rules, in particular Article 107(3)(b) TFEU, which allows Member States to grant aid to specific companies or sectors to remedy a serious disturbance in a Member State’s economy. The Commission concluded that the measure is appropriate, necessary and proportionate, as it will increase security of gas supply and remedy a serious disturbance in the economy, without having undue negative effects on competition and trade in the EU. On this basis, the Commission approved the Dutch scheme under EU State aid rules.
The non-confidential version of the decision will be made available under the case number SA. 106923 in the State aid register on the Commission’s competition website once any confidentiality issues have been resolved.
Source – EU Commission