European Union takes a tougher stand on Poland's strategic fuel reserves

European Union takes a tougher stand on Poland's strategic fuel reserves The fuel crisis has led the European Union (EU) to stiffen its stance on Poland's fulfillment of EU requirements for strategic fuel reserves. Under EU regulations, members are obliged to hold reserves lasting 90 days. Poland currently has some 40 days worth of reserves and was hoping for a transition period until 2010 to meet the EU criteria. However, due to rapidly rising fuel prices, the European Commission (EC) has indicated that Poland must meet EU reserve regulations as soon as it joins, which Poland hopes to do as early as 2003. The problem in accumulating such reserves is lack of storage facilities. Poland would have to spend $6 billion to build additional tanks. The EC proposes that Poland rent storage space from other EU countries. Another difficult energy issue in the negotiations is allowing EU access to Poland's gas infrastructure. According to experts, if Poland grants such access too early it will make the restructuring of Polish Oil and Gas (PGNiG) monopoly difficult. (Gazeta Wyborcza, p. 22