EU companies burn fossil gas and taxpayer cash

Global Witness reports that the EU has spent nearly €5 billion in taxpayer-funded grants and loans on 41 gas projects since 2013, with approximately €439 million wasted on seven projects that failed or are unlikely to function. The author contends that the TEN-E regulation creates a conflict of interest by allowing the European Network of Transmission System Operators for Gas (ENTSOG) to influence project selection. The report specifically highlights the BRUA pipeline, which received €431 million but faces significant viability issues regarding Black Sea gas extraction. Global Witness calls for the European Commission to remove all gas projects from the fifth Project of Common Interest (PCI) list and to reform the TEN-E regulation to redirect funds toward renewable energy.

• Since 2013, the EU has provided nearly €5 billion in taxpayer-funded grants and subsidized loans for 41 gas projects, such as import terminals and pipelines, enabled by the Trans-European Networks-Energy (TEN-E) Regulation.
• The TEN-E regulation allows a conflict of interest where gas companies, via the European Network of Transmission System Operators for Gas (ENTSOG), influence the selection of Projects of Common Interest (PCI). Member companies including Romania’s TRANSGAZ, Poland’s GAZ-SYSTEM, and Italy’s SNAM have backed projects receiving over €4.1 billion in subsidies.
• Approximately €439 million, or nearly 10 percent of all EU gas subsidies, has been wasted on seven PCIs that either failed to launch or are unlikely to transport gas. All of these wasted funds went to projects backed by ENTSOG members.
• The BRUA pipeline, backed by Romania's TRANSGAZ, represents the largest portion of wasted funds with €431 million invested since 2014. Despite partial completion in November 2020, the project is unlikely to meet its goals of transporting gas from the Black Sea to Austria, Hungary, Bulgaria, and Romania, leading to the cancellation of plans to extend the pipeline into Hungary in April.

APA

Global Witness (n.d.). EU companies burn fossil gas and taxpayer cash. https://globalwitness.org/en/campaigns/fossil-fuels/eu-companies-burn-fossil-gas-and-taxpayer-cash/

Chicago

Global Witness. EU companies burn fossil gas and taxpayer cash. n.d. https://globalwitness.org/en/campaigns/fossil-fuels/eu-companies-burn-fossil-gas-and-taxpayer-cash/.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |author=Global Witness |title=EU companies burn fossil gas and taxpayer cash |url=https://globalwitness.org/en/campaigns/fossil-fuels/eu-companies-burn-fossil-gas-and-taxpayer-cash/ |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{globalwitnessndcompanies, author = {{Global Witness}}, title = {{EU companies burn fossil gas and taxpayer cash}}, publisher = {Global Witness}, url = {https://globalwitness.org/en/campaigns/fossil-fuels/eu-companies-burn-fossil-gas-and-taxpayer-cash/}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }