The German federal government worries about supply risks for oil and refinery products if the U.S. sanctions currently suspended against the German Rosneft subsidiaries were reinstated. “Politico” reports that this concern comes from a written reply by the Federal Ministry of Economic Affairs and Finance (BMWi) to an oral question from Left‑party MP Christian Görke on 28 January.
“Even a loss of Rosneft Germany and the refinery capacities it controls, or the loss of the PCK alone, could not be compensated in the short term by additional imports of refinery products” the BMWi statement says.
The ministry also stresses how critical Rosneft Germany is for national supply security. The company owns stakes in the Brandenburg PCK refinery and two other German refineries, covering together about 12 % of Germany’s refining capacity.
“A smooth operation of Rosneft Germany is essential, particularly for reliable oil supply and for the continued operation of, among others, PCK‑Refinery GmbH. This, in turn, supports the supply security of people, businesses and institutions in northeastern Germany-including the Berlin‑Schönefeld airport (BER)-and West‑Poland with fuels and other refinery products” the ministry notes.
Görke’s question was prompted by the U.S. temporary exemption from sanctions on Rosneft, which the BMWi has recently secured for the German subsidiaries. The exemption expires at the end of April.
The ministry is currently working to make the exemption permanent, providing legal certainty for affected companies. It says it is in close contact with U.S. authorities on this matter. At the same time, the federal government is preparing alternative scenarios to safeguard supply security.
Görke urges that the government act swiftly. “Finance Minister Reiche has no more time to lose. She cannot wait until the end of April or even just until March to announce a follow‑on solution; otherwise the problem would already be out of reach” he says.