Finance
Eu, Operators Agree Tariffs to Make Gas Corridor More Competitive
Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on March 27, 2026
2 min readLast updated: March 27, 2026
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On March 27, 2026, the EU and five natural gas grid operators from Bulgaria, Greece, Romania, Moldova and Ukraine agreed on competitive tariffs for the Vertical Gas Corridor carrying gas from Greece to Ukraine. Starting October 2026, new tariff regime aligned with EU rules and diversified capacity p
EU and Operators Agree on Tariffs to Boost Gas Corridor Competitiveness
Agreement on Tariffs and Development of the Vertical Gas Corridor
Background and Objectives
ATHENS, March 27 (Reuters) - Bulgarian, Greek, Romanian, Moldovan and Ukrainian natural gas grid operators agreed with the European Commission on Friday to tariffs along the corridor carrying gas from Greece to Ukraine, in an effort to make it more competitive and diversify supplies.
Greek gas grid operator DESFA said in a statement that the operators and the EU executive had agreed on tariffs that will be implemented as of October and are aligned with EU rules.
Development of the Vertical Gas Corridor
Greece, Bulgaria, Romania and Hungary agreed in 2016 to develop the necessary infrastructure for the realisation of the so-called Vertical Gas Corridor which would allow the bidirectional transmission of gas between the countries.
Ukraine and Moldova joined in 2024.
Strategic Importance and New Tariffs
"The agreed trade approach introduces new tariffs that make the Vertical Corridor a highly competitive and strategic energy artery for Southeastern and Central Europe at a particularly critical time for the continent's energy security," it said.
Capacity Products and Transitional Arrangements
The five natural gas operators will, for the first time, offer daily, monthly, quarterly and annual capacity products starting with the 2026–2027 gas year (October 2026), DESFA said.
"For the transitional period until the full implementation of the new products, the operators shall submit a request to the relevant national regulatory authorities to extend the availability of existing products until October 2026 in order to support Ukraine's security of supply during the transition period," the statement said.
Reporting Credits
(Reporting by Angeliki Koutantou and Ivana Sekularac; Editing by Alexander Smith)
Key Takeaways
- •Operators and the European Commission agreed to implement new, EU‑compliant tariffs on the Vertical Gas Corridor effective October 2026, enhancing corridor competitiveness and supply diversification. (desfa.gr)
- •For the 2026‑2027 gas year beginning October 2026, the five operators will introduce daily, monthly, quarterly and annual capacity products; existing products may be extended during the transition to support Ukraine. (desfa.gr)
- •These moves build on prior steps in 2025, including tariff discounts (10–50 %) to stimulate use of the corridor—including Route 1 LNG deliveries via Revithoussa—and approval requests for additional routes (Routes 2 & 3) to bolster Southeast–Central European energy resilience. (ekathimerini.com)
References
Frequently Asked Questions about EU, operators agree tariffs to make gas corridor more competitive
1Which countries' operators agreed to the new gas corridor tariffs?
Operators from Bulgaria, Greece, Romania, Moldova, and Ukraine agreed to the new tariffs.
2When will the new tariffs along the gas corridor be implemented?
The new tariffs are set to be implemented starting in October.
3What is the purpose of the new tariffs on the gas corridor?
The tariffs aim to make the gas corridor more competitive and support energy security in the region.
4What capacity products will the operators offer starting from the 2026–2027 gas year?
Operators will offer daily, monthly, quarterly, and annual capacity products from October 2026.
5How does the new agreement support Ukraine's energy security?
During the transition period, existing products will remain available until October 2026 to support Ukraine's security of supply.
