Germany plans new legislation to ensure gas storage is full for winter

BERLIN - Germany is planning new legislation to ensure the country's gas storage facilities are full at the beginning of winter, irrespective of operator interests, the Economy Ministry said on Monday.

"Germany is to maintain a national gas reserve in future," the ministry said in a statement. "This will ensure that the gas storage facilities are always sufficiently filled. In future, the market players will have to guarantee this."

Draft legislation on the plans would be introduced to the Bundestag lower house of parliament as soon as possible and passed in April at the latest, to then enter into force on May 1, the ministry added.