The European Commission signed a memorandum of understanding with Azerbaijan on Monday to double the imports of natural gas to at least 20 billion cubic meters (bcm) a year by 2027 as the European Union seeks non-Russian suppliers after Moscow’s attack on Ukraine.
“Today, with this new memorandum of understanding, we are opening a new chapter in our energy cooperation with Azerbaijan, a key partner in our efforts to move away from Russian fossil fuels,” Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Twitter.
“Our goal: double the gas delivery from Azerbaijan to the EU in a few years. Azerbaijan will be a crucial partner for our security of supply and on our way to climate neutrality,” she added.
Ursula von der Leyen while speaking to a joint news conference with Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev, following the signing ceremony in Baku, said, “Azerbaijan is a crucial energy partner for us that has always been reliable.”
Through the Trans Adriatic Pipeline, Azerbaijan is “delivering currently more than 8 billion cubic meters of gas per year and we will expand its capacity to 20 billion cubic meters” by 2027, she said.
According to the Commission President, Azerbaijan is already increasing Azeri gas exports to the EU from 8.1 bcm in 2021 to an expected 12 bcm in 2022, which will “compensate for cuts in supplies of Russian gas and contribute significantly to Europe’s security of supply”.
Ahead of the visit, the European Commission stated, “Amid Russia’s continued weaponization of its energy supplies, diversification of our energy imports is a priority for the EU.”
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev said, “Long-lasting, predictable, and very reliable cooperation between EU and Azerbaijan in the field of energy is a big asset.” He further stressed that “issues of energy security today are more important than ever before”.
The Southern Gas Corridor transporting Azeri gas to the EU has been operational since 2020.
EU-Azerbaijan energy partnership
The new MoU on a strategic partnership in the Field of Energy signed by the two Presidents in Baku on July 18 includes a commitment to double the capacity of the Southern Gas Corridor to deliver at least 20 billion cubic metres to the EU annually by 2027.
This agreement will help diversify the EU’s energy supplies and help end its dependency on Russian gas. Azerbaijan is already now increasing deliveries of natural gas to the EU, from 8.1 billion cubic metres in 2021 to an expected 12 bcm in 2022.
EU’s energy commissioner, Kadri Simson, said: “Azerbaijan has already increased the natural gas deliveries to the EU and this trend will continue, with up to 4 billion cubic meters of additional gas this year and volumes expected to more than double by 2027.”