EU approves energy union strategy

The European Commission has adopted a strategy to establish an energy union, the institution informed. The idea of creating the union was introduced by current European Council president and former Polish PM Donald Tusk last year. In line with the current plan, a joint purchase of gas, as suggested by Tusk, will not be obligatory. However, a voluntary joint purchase will be possible when a region depends too strongly on a single supplier or in a situation of emergency. What is more, EU states and companies will be obliged to submit to Brussels their gas contracts, before the are signed. The European Commission will present a draft of regulations for a new, European electric energy market in 2015 and introduce law proposals afterwards.