The General Assembly of EUROGAS met today in Warsaw, Poland, hosted by the Polish Oil and Gas Company. The General Assembly elected Mr. Jean-François Cirelli, Vice Chairman and President of GDF SUEZ, as President of Eurogas. The Executive Committee of Eurogas was also elected and is composed of Mr. Werner Auli, CEO, OMV Gas & Power, Mr. Antero Jännes, CEO, Gasum, Mr. Gertjan Lankhorst CEO, GasTerra and Mr. Bernhard Reutersberg, Chairman of the Executive Board of E.ON Ruhrgas.

In the closing ceremony Mr. Cirelli said that "In the perspective of the coming EU green agenda, my wish is to focus EUROGAS' action even more on the conditions to ensure that natural gas will have the bright future it deserves given its intrinsic properties. More than ever, the mobilization of EUROGAS is then absolutely necessary to support the role of natural gas in the future development, so that it becomes a reality for the coming decades. EUROGAS must take the challenge for the benefit of each of its members."

The Assembly welcomed the participation of Professor  Maciej Kaliski, Director Oil and Gas Department in the Polish Ministry of Economy in a thematic session on Poland and regional gas cooperation.  In his speech, Professor Kaliski presented an actual review of Polish and Central European situation and prospects. He also pointed out the necessity of strengthening European Union's energy solidarity.

Mr. Michal Szubski, President of the Polish Oil and Gas Company referred to the Polish gas market. He also referred to the importance of the closer cooperation on the European energy market. He mentioned as well investments that are important for securing energy market in Poland such as: the construction and development of underground storages, construction of the first LNG terminal of the Baltic sea and new interconnections.

EU Energy Commissioner Günther Oettinger addressed the Eurogas General Assembly via a video message. In his message he underlined the role of natural gas as a key element in the European Energy Policy.

In a session dedicated to natural gas and sustainable energy, the members of Eurogas discussed strategies at European, national and company level. The Polish national programme of emissions reduction was highlighted by Professor Krzysztof Zmijewski.

The Eurogas General Assembly was also the occasion to present the recently finalised publication "The Vital Role of Natural Gas in a Sustainable Energy Mix". This new important electronic publication provides an updated vision of key aspects of natural gas:

• - A robust market
• - Energy efficiency and comfort
• - Mitigating climate change
• - Technologies for the future
• - A secure supply for Europe
• - Long-term Outlook for Demand and Supply
• -

The recently published report "Long Term Outlook for Gas Demand and Supply 2030" was also presented to the Assembly. This report comprises the share of natural gas in primary energy consumption, natural gas demand by sector (residential and commercial, industrial and power generation), supply and imports. The report develops a base case and an environmental scenario. Natural gas consumption is expected to rise between 14% and 23% in year 2030 in comparison to 2007, that is, to a range between 500 and 535 Mtoe from 2007's 437 Mtoe depending on the two scenarios (595 and 637 bcm from the 2007's 520).

Eurogas is a Brussels based non-profit making organization and has the following members : Asociación Española del Gas - SEDIGAS (ES), Association Française du Gaz - AFG (F), Bulgargaz (BU), Bord Gáis Éireann - BGE (IRE), BOTAS*(TR), BP plc (UK), Bundesverband der Energie - und Wasserwirtschaft e.V. - BDEW (DE), Centrica plc (UK), Czech Gas Union - CPU (CZ), DEPA (GR), DONG Energy A/S (DK), E.ON Ruhrgas AG (DE), Edison (IT), Distrigas (BE), Electricité de France (F), Elektrizitäts-Gesellschaft Laufenburg AG - EGL AG (CH), EnergieNed (NL), ENI S.p.A. (IT), European Gas Research Group - GERG (EU), Fachverband der Gas- und Wärmeversorgungsunternehmungen - FGW (AT), Galp Energia (PT), Gas Natural SDG (ES), GasTerra (NL), Gasum Oy (FIN), GDF SUEZ (F), GAZBIR*(TR), Geoplin d.o.o. (SI), HNG (DK), IZGAZ*(TR), Marcogaz, (EU), MGE - Hungarian Gas Association (HU), OMV Gas and Power GmbH (AT), Polish Oil and Gas Company - POGC (PL), Romgaz*(RO), Russian Gas Society*(RU), RWE Supply & Trading GmbH (D), Slovak Gas Industry - SPP (SK), SOTEG s.a.(LU), South Hook Gas Ltd (UK), Swedish Gas Association (SE), Swiss Association of Gas Industry (CH), Swissgas (CH), Total s.a. (F), Febeg (BE), Union Fenosa Gas S.A. (ES), Verbundnetz Gas AG - VNG AG (DE), WINGAS GmbH & CO. KG (DE).

 * Associate Members

For more information, please contact Simona Basiu, Senior Manager Media Relations and Information at:

Avenue de Cortenbergh, 172 box 6, B-1000 Brussels Tel: +32.(02).894.48.05 E-mail: sb@eurogas.org - Website: http://www.eurogas.org/