Concrete steps are now being taken to realise the European Union’s (EU) long-awaited joint gas purchasing ambitions. In the first step, gas purchasing companies must aggregate their demand using an EU-wide dedicated service provider, selected through a public procurement procedure. Although it cannot ban the conclusion of a contract, it can issue recommendations on further co-ordination and joint purchasing to individual gas companies. In addition to advising on various options for organizing joint purchasing the group has explored legal issues. DG Comp has purportedly indicated that, in the case of joint purchasing, the higher risk is on the down-stream market.
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