CEOs from six leading EU gas distributors meet Ditte Juul Jørgensen, Director-General for Energy in Brussels

Brussels, 30th January 2020:  CEOs from six leading EU gas distributors are gathered in Brussels today, for a face-to-face meeting with Ditte Juul Jørgensen, Director-General for Energy at the European Commission. 

Denis O’Sullivan, MD, Gas Networks Ireland, Gabriel Sousa, CEO, Galp Gás Natural Distribuição (Portugal), Edouard Sauvage, CEO, GRDF (France), Paolo Gallo, CEO Italgas (Italy), Nuria Rodríguez Peinado, CEO, Nedgia (Spain), Ion Manescu, Deputy CEO, Distrigaz Sud Retele (Romania) and have gathered as part of their joint membership of GD4S - Gas Distributors for Sustainability¹, to share with the new Director-General how natural and renewable gas can contribute to decarbonise the European economy.  This first face-to-face engagement with the Director-General, affords GD4S an opportunity to hear further on future energy proposals and share GD4S positioning on the European Green Deal and future gas market design. 

During the session, the CEOs will welcome the European Commission’s recently launched European Green Deal and its ambition.  Speaking with one voice, they will reiterate their commitment to helping the EU fulfil its climate change and emissions reductions targets.  They will emphasize their intention to participate in building a greener, increasingly decentralised and digitalised energy network for the future. 

GD4S is committed to promoting the decarbonisation of the natural gas sector, and to supporting the cost effective and fair development of renewable and decarbonised gases.  To achieve this, it seeks to: 

• Leverage the potential of gas grids as an enabler of the EU’s transition towards climate-neutrality
• Facilitate the development of renewable gases, including biomethane and hydrogen in relevant Green Deal’s legislative proposals and in the revision of the gas market legislation
• Reinforce the dialogue between gas Distribution System Operators and EU institutions to create an enabling framework for the decarbonisation of the European economy.

Speaking in advance of this morning’s meeting Mr Denis O’Sullivan, Managing Director, Gas Networks Ireland said the group very much welcomes the meeting with Mrs Juul Jørgensen. “Today’s meeting affords GD4S an excellent opportunity to relay our positioning around the potential of renewable gases and gas grids; to reiterate our commitment to supporting the Green Deal and meeting the challenges of decarbonisation; and to express our willingness to collaborate with the Directorate to deliver a secure, clean energy future for all.”

Ends

Further information: 
Marie Sheehan | PR Manager
Gas Networks Ireland
M +353 87 754 8968
E marie.sheehan@gasnetworks.ie

Brussels liaison for visit:
Mary O’Mahony | European Affairs
Gas Networks Ireland
T +353 21 453 4545 | +353 86 834 2277
E mary.omahony@gasnetworks.ie

¹ GD4S - Gas Distributors for Sustainability, headquartered in Brussels, was established in January 2019.  As a group, it is committed to the decarbonisation of Europe’s energy system by 2050 and to unlocking the potential of renewable gases and gas grids. Together, the six GD4S members serve 27.4 million customers, representing the equivalent of 20% of the EU gas market. 

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