Official: EU will remain a reliable buyer of Azerbaijani gas

The throughput capacity of the Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) increased by 12% by the beginning of 2026, enabling an additional 1.2 billion cubic meters of gas per year to be supplied to the European Union, said Christina Lobillo Borrero, Director of the Energy Platform and International Relations Task Force at the European Commission's Directorate-General for Energy, at the meetings of the Southern Gas Corridor (SGC) Advisory Council and the Green Energy Advisory Council in Baku, Report informs.

According to her, Azerbaijan and the SGC play a key role in the EU's efforts to diversify supplies and reduce dependence on Russian energy resources.

"With the onset of the war between Russia and Ukraine and Russia's use of energy supplies as a tool of pressure on the European Union, the increase in natural gas supplies through the SGC has been an important contribution to diversifying the EU's sources of supply," Lobillo noted.

She emphasized that the European Union intends to maintain long-term energy cooperation with Baku:

"The European Union will remain a reliable buyer of Azerbaijani gas for the foreseeable future, and supplies from Azerbaijan will play an important role in further reducing the EU's energy dependence."

According to her, the European Union has invested significant resources in diversification and enhancing resilience, particularly in access to the global market.

"In this context, we attach great importance to maintaining a strong, mutually beneficial partnership with reliable suppliers such as Azerbaijan," she said.

According to Christina Lobillo, the European Commission is also working on a new regulatory package in the field of energy security: "We are reviewing the EU's energy security architecture, assessing further reforms beyond storage mechanisms to avoid possible disruptions in gas supplies."

"Gathering today in Baku, we reaffirm that our partnership is not only transactional but also strategic in nature. By working together to ensure stable supplies, competitive conditions, regulatory coordination, and a gradual reduction of emissions, we can strengthen Europe's energy security while supporting Azerbaijan's role as a key, reliable, and future-oriented partner," Lobillo added.