The European Union, which relies on Russia for about a quarter of the natural gas it consumes, had expressed concern that the new Russian-Polish agreement would not comply with EU legislation.

EU energy spokeswoman Marlene Holzner said earlier on Thursday that the European Commission would assess the deal within 48 hours.

In a statement issued on Thursday, Oettinger said the commission managed to assure that the Russian-Polish deal was in line with EU laws.

This means that Polish gas pipeline operator Gaz-System will be responsible for concluding fair contracts on Russian gas supplies and that Poland will have the right to re-export Russian gas, he said.

Oettinger expressed his satisfaction with a "good cooperation" between Russian and Polish authorities on the gas issue. He said however that both the Polish side and European Commission experts agreed that the deal should be implemented by additional measures aimed at ensuring fair Russian gas supplies to Poland.

The row between Poland and Gazprom over gas supplies started in 2006, when Warsaw wanted to increase the transit tariff on its stretch of the Yamal-Europe pipeline. Gazprom insisted on a rate set by an intergovernmental agreement and filed a suit against Poland, which it won in 2008.

(RIA Novosti)

Guenther Oettinger /Picsicio