Brussels forces Spain to adjust gas capacity rules for links with Algeria and Morocco

The European Commission has mandated Spain to reserve 10% of the capacity at the Almería entry point (linked to Medgaz) and the Tarifa exit point (linked to the Maghreb-Europe pipeline) for quarterly products. This directive follows the partial rejection of an exemption request filed by the Spanish regulatory authority, the CNMC. While Brussels granted a partial waiver regarding certain grid code provisions until December 31, 2032, it insisted on enforcing short-term capacity reservation rules. The CNMC had argued that the lack of reciprocal obligations from Algeria and Morocco made standard European procedures difficult to implement. However, the Commission ruled that these arguments were not sufficiently justified, requiring Spain to integrate these new requirements as part of a regulatory update currently under public consultation until November 17, 2026.