The Workshop on the Impact of the European Union (EU) Market Reforms on Gas Producers was held at the GECF headquarters in Doha, Qatar, on July 18, 2019. GECF Secretary General HE Dr. Yury Sentyurin, experts from GECF Member Countries (MCs) and Secretariat staff attended the workshop. 

The workshop was organized in line with the first and third objective of the Forum’s Long Term Strategy (LTS) related to Maximizing Gas Value and Cooperation among Member Countries. It was aimed at providing key elements for debate among MC representatives on the implementation and consequences of EU energy policies, market reforms in the natural gas market, and the impact on natural gas producers. The objective was to enable MCs to identify risks and opportunities for natural gas expansion in the region.

HE Dr. Yury Sentyurin opened the meeting and highlighted the significance of the EU natural gas market globally and the importance of the region for GECF in terms of pipeline and LNG supply. In addition, he shared some views on the prospects for natural gas in the region and reiterated the messages in favour of natural gas globally and in the EU particularly. Presentations were made by the GECF Secretariat on the “Opportunities and Challenges of Natural Gas in EU from GECF’s Perspective”; Dr. Damilola Olawuyi, Associate Professor of Law at HBKU in Qatar spoke on “Ongoing Impacts of EU Energy Reforms and Future Opportunities for Multilateral Cooperation”; and Mr. Howard Bevan, Director of Energy and Senior Advisor to the Board of trustees on Energy Matters at the Al-Attiyah Foundation, contributed with his valuable views on the subject and suggested some ideas for the promotion of natural gas in the region. 

The debate and brainstorming session offered MC representatives the opportunity to have a common understanding of the issue, in order to support GECF Member Countries’ activities in the global gas market, with potential actions for further consideration by the Executive Board and Ministerial Meeting of the Forum.

All actions are in line with the Statute of the GECF Forum, its long-term strategy and consider the sovereign rights of Member Countries over the exploitation of their respective natural gas resources.