Greater flexibility will now allow the European Union's storage facilities to be filled slightly later in the year than previously required.
Negotiators from the European Parliament and EU member states have agreed to extend the gas storage rules by two years, according to a statement.
"The already existing binding 90% filling targets should be reached anytime between 1st October and 1st December instead of the current 1st November deadline," the statement read.
EU member states said they agreed on these benchmarks with the parliament "to give predictability of storage levels, while leaving sufficient flexibility for market participants to purchase gas throughout the year when it is more convenient."
The gas storage regulation was adopted in mid-2022 and was intended to secure the EU's gas supply by reducing the bloc's vulnerability to price fluctuations in connection with the geopolitical instability following the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the statement continued.
Polish Minister of Industry, Marzena Czarnecka, said: "We are not only protecting our citizens and businesses from price shocks and supply disruptions, but also sending a clear message that we will not be held hostage by external energy pressures."
The agreement was preceded by a proposal from the European Commission. The new regulations must now be formally adopted by parliament and EU member countries.
