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Slovakia could seek compensation from the European Union on potential losses from replacing what it says is a shortfall in deliveries requested from its main supplier Russia over the past month, an economy ministry spokeswoman said on Monday.

Poland, Slovakia, Austria and Hungary have all reported that Russia's state-controlled Gazprom has sent smaller deliveries than requested after the European Union began sending gas to Ukraine.

Slovakia, a major transit point for Russian gas through Ukraine to the EU, last week said that state importer SPP's flows from Russia were down more than 50% on its requested deliveries.

Gazprom, meanwhile, has said that its deliveries to the central European country had been stable in the preceding 10 days and that it was meeting its contractual obligations.

Slovakia has not calculated whether it has incurred losses as a result of recent deals to secure alternative gas supplies, but the economy ministry said that European Energy Commissioner Gnther Oettinger had confirmed that the country could be in line for compensation.

"The question will be raised at the nearest European Council meeting whether there is the will to compensate," Miriam Ziakova, an economy ministry spokeswoman, said in a telephone interview.

"Commissioner Oettinger confirmed Slovakia should get compensation if it calculates its losses."

Russia has halted gas flows to Ukraine three times in the past decade, in 2006, 2009 and since June this year.

Gas for the EU, via Ukraine, has continued to flow despite the pricing dispute between Moscow and Kiev, but analysts have said that the lower than expected deliveries across the region mark a clear warning that Russia would be prepared to retaliate this winter should Brussels impose further sanctions on Moscow over its intervention in Ukraine.

Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico announced last week that SPP had concluded a five-year deal with E.ON Global Commodities to supply up to 2 million cubic metres of gas per day via Austria when needed.

Continued here:
Slovakia looks for EU compensation over reduced Russian gas deliveries

The European Union made headway toward a deal on a strategy to shift to a low-carbon economy and boost security of energy supplies amid a natural-gas dispute between Russia and Ukraine.

Energy and environment ministers from the EUs 28 member states met in Milan yesterday to prepare ground for a compromise at the Oct. 23-24 summit, where the blocs leaders are expected to decide on policies for 2030. The challenge for governments is to reconcile the need for cheaper and safer energy while accelerating the pace of emissions reductions.

Theres a real sense that a deal can be done and a real determination to try to get a deal done, Ed Davey, U.K. secretary of state for energy and climate change, said in an interview after the meeting. Theres still quite a deal of diplomacy to be done, but were narrowing down on the differences.

EU nations are discussing a recommendation by the European Commission to adopt a binding goal to cut greenhouse gases by 40 percent by 2030, accelerating the pace of emissions reduction from 20 percent in 2020 compared with 1990 levels. The EUs regulatory arm also proposed an EU-wide target to boost the share of renewables in energy consumption to 27 percent and an additional goal of increasing energy efficiency by 30 percent in the next decade.

It was a very constructive debate, EU Climate Commissioner Connie Hedegaard told reporters after the ministerial gathering. Ill leave Milan with the impression that it will be possible for our heads of state to make the package.

At their summit, which will take place in Brussels, EU leaders are also scheduled to discuss energy security strategy for Europe. The debate to diversify energy supply sources and reduce the regions dependence on fossil fuels comes as a pricing dispute led to the cutoff of Russian natural-gas supplies to Ukraine, the transit country for around 15 percent of the EUs demand for the fuel.

Its ironic that in a way you could say energy security is being put on the table because of whats happening in Ukraine and Russia, Davey said. The conflict is helping people understand if were going to make investment to improve our energy security, theyre the same investments that well have to make to tackle climate change.

The EU is trying to broker a compromise between Russia and Ukraine and proposed a temporary deal to restore flows before winter. The next round of three-way talks will be set this week, the commission said in a statement on Oct. 3.

Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak on Sept. 26 called the EU plan a big step toward an agreement. Ukrainian Energy Minister Yuri Prodan said last week that his country is ready to reach an agreement but not at the volumes and in the timeframes set by Russia.

Concerns among EU governments over a possible disruption have increased as Russia and Ukraine have traded accusations of threats to EU-bound gas since July. European nations have already agreed to stress test Europes energy system to help overcome a potential cutoff in the 2014-15 winter and the results showed the bloc can manage potential problems, according to Claudio de Vincenti, Italian deputy minister for economic development.

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EU Moves Closer to Deal on 2030 Climate, Energy Strategy

Amazon.com Inc. faces an in-depth European Union probe into a 2003 fiscal deal with Luxembourg over suspicions the company unfairly shifted profits to the Grand Duchy to lower its taxes.

The tax ruling, still in force today, applies to an Amazon subsidiary in Luxembourg that records most of the companys profits, the EU said today.

Most European profits of Amazon are recorded in Luxembourg but are not taxed there as a result of the pact, the EU said in a statement.

The EU inquiry into Amazon comes amid a global crackdown on corporate tax-avoidance as governments struggle to increase revenue and reduce deficits. It expands a probe into Apple in Ireland, Starbucks Corp. (SBUX) in the Netherlands and Fiat Finance & Trade in Luxembourg. The commission has said tax avoidance and evasion in the EU cost about 1 trillion euros ($1.3 trillion) a year.

Luxembourg hasnt provided any detail about any expiry date for that tax ruling, a person familiar with the case said. The Brussels-based commission has the power to ban and order recovery of selective public subsidies, including tax advantages, that distort competition.

Luxembourgs Finance Ministry and Amazon didnt respond to requests for comment ahead of the EUs statement.

The Financial Times reported earlier on the Amazon case.

Tax probes including delving into Apples agreements with Ireland are a priority, according to the woman set to take over from Almunia as the European Unions competition chief.

Margrethe Vestager, a former Danish economy minister, said last week that its important big companies pay a fair share of taxes and that small firms arent left to carry the burden.

Apple and Irish authorities have rebuffed a preliminary EU finding that the country gave favorable tax treatment in return for job creation. Gibraltar said last week that Almunia showed Spanish bias for probing the territorys tax system.

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Amazon Faces EU Tax-Dodging Probe Over Luxembourg 2003 Deal

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