Recital (36)

The Union has created a robust legal framework to ensure the security of gas supply at all times, and to deal with possible supply crises in a coordinated manner, including obligations for Member States to provide for effective and operational solidarity to neighbours in need of gas. The Commission should constantly monitor the development of market risks for gas supply resulting from gas trade with the Russian Federation at Union, regional and Member State level. In case of sudden and significant developments, which seriously threaten the security of supply of one or more Member States, and after an emergency in accordance with Article 11 or 12 of Regulation (EU) 2017/1938 has been declared, it is appropriate to empower the Commission to take the necessary emergency measures by adopting a decision regarding the import prohibitions on natural gas or LNG set out in this Regulation in one or more Member States. In such a situation, the Commission should also be able to suspend the requirement of prior authorisation for the entry of gas imports into the customs territory of the Union, in order to facilitate additional imports on short notice. Any such suspension by the Commission should be limited in time and not be granted for more than 4 weeks at a time, and should only be renewed if the conditions for the emergency pursuant to Article 11 of Regulation (EU) 2017/1938 continue to apply. The Commission implementing decision should impose the additional conditions necessary to ensure that any such suspension is strictly limited to addressing the threat and should only allow short-term contracts. The Commission should inform the Gas Coordination Group and submit a report to the European Parliament and the Council justifying the suspension and any extension thereof, and should closely monitor the application of any such temporary suspension.