Competition or Cooperation? Spanish-French Relations in Gas Sector

Abstract

The Russian armed invasion of Ukraine has caused great concern among EU countries. In response to Russian actions in Ukraine, the European Union introduced several economic sanctions against the Russian Federation, including a ban on natural gas imports. Due to this situation, many European countries were forced to look for alternative gas supplies. Spain, the largest gas hub in Western Europe, could support the countries of Central and Eastern Europe, which the ban on natural gas from Russia hit particularly hard. However, the lack of gas system connections between the east and the west of the EU prevents the supply of gas to Eastern European consumers. This article aims to analyze Spanish-French relations in the field of natural gas and determine whether there is competition or cooperation in this sector and what impact it has on the EU's energy security. For the article, the following research methods were used: analysis, including statistical data, synthesis, comparison.