State bows to EU pressure and announces gas market liberalization this July

Until now, the government had tried to convince the EU that Polish Oil and Gas (PGNiG), a sector monopoly, was not yet ready to face foreign competition. However, the experience of other EU member states shows that in countries where liberalization was introduced earlier, prices are now at the lowest levels. The liberalization of the market will apply to all EU gas firms, meaning that as of July 1, all domestic companies will be able to individually choose their own particular gas supplier. The government has also agreed to fully open the market in 2007 to give private individuals the same right to pick and choose suppliers. (Rzeczpospolita, pp. A1, B1) A.K.