Today’s 16th Ministerial Council took key decisions for the future of the Energy Community under the chairmanship of H.E. Kreshnik Bekteshi, Minister of Economy of former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.

The price of gas for households will not be increased until the end of the heating season, Ukrainian Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman has said.

On 27 September 2018, the Serbian parliament approved the removal of the destination clause included in the 2012 inter-governmental agreement between the government of the Republic of Serbia and the government of the Russian Federation for the supply of natural gas.

A commission of the National Assembly (lower house of the French Parliament) has adopted an amendment to the Loi Pacte, allowing the government to issue a decree removing domestic regulated gas tariffs within 6 months after the law entering into force.

Naftogaz Ukrainy on July 13 appealed to the National Commission for Energy and Housing Utilities Services Regulation with the proposal to change the methodology for calculating gas transportation tariffs, which could lead to a reduction in gas tariffs from 2019, the press service of Naftogaz has said.

Coal Energy S.A. (Luxembourg) with assets in Ukraine in June 2018 increased coal production by 16.2% (by 1,698 tonnes) compared to the same period in 2017, to 12,150 tonnes, the company said on the Warsaw Stock Exchange.

The Nord Stream gas pipeline that runs across the Baltic Sea from Russia to Germany has been shut down completely for scheduled maintenance until the end of the month, European gas transport operators reported.

The European Commission has found that Luxembourg allowed two Engie group companies to avoid paying taxes on almost all their profits for about a decade.

The board of directors of the U.S. Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC) on June 14 will consider the issue of security of $250 million loans (plus interest) for NJSC Naftogaz Ukrainy for gas purchases in summer, OPIC has said.

Naftogaz Ukrainy is ready to participate in the trilateral talks of Ukraine, Russia and the European Union on the transit of Russian natural gas through Ukraine for the period after the expiration of the contract with Gazprom in late 2019, but notes the need to involve Gazprom in the negotiations.

The Stockholm arbitration ruling ordering Gazprom to pay $4.7 billion to Naftogaz Ukrainy was interfered with by an outsider, the Russian gas giant claimed in a new court filing.

The European Commission has adopted a decision imposing on Gazprom a set of obligations that address the Commission's competition concerns and enable the free flow of gas at competitive prices in Central and Eastern European gas markets, to the benefit of European consumers and businesses.

Public joint-stock company Ukrtransgaz and Poland's Gaz-System S.A. have extended a non-binding market screening procedure for demand on the volume of natural gas that could be transported across Ukraine to Poland until June 8, 2018, the press service of the Ukrainian company has reported.

Ukrnafta saw net profit rise by 17.7 times (UAH 1.190 billion) in January-March 2018 compared to the same period last year, to UAH 1.261 billion.

Municipal enterprise Kyivteploenergo has confirmed its plans to hire all employees of public joint-stock company Kyivenerego. The enterprise will also inherit accounts payable and receivable of the company, Head of Kyivenergo Oleksandr Fomenko said at a press conference at Interfax-Ukraine on Wednesday.

The nomination commission for the selection of new members of the National Commission for Energy, Housing and Utilities Services Regulation (NCER) has rejected an appeal by incumbent NCER Head Dmytro Vovk against the decision not to allow him to participate in the competition.

Regional Development, Construction, Housing and Utilities Economy Minister of Ukraine Hennadiy Zubko and Head of the Support Group for Ukraine in the European Commission Peter Wagner signed an agreement on co-financing of the energy efficiency support program in Ukraine on Wednesday.

National Nuclear Generating Company Energoatom expects the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine soon to approve documents for a tender to attract a partner in the project on the creation of the Ukraine-EU Energy Bridge.

Chairman of The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Andriy Parubiy regards the granting of permits for the construction of the Nord Stream 2 by the countries of the European Union as a blow to Ukraine.