Economy Minister Katherina Reiche announced that Germany will broaden its support for domestic gas production. “We have our own reserves in Germany” the CDU politician told the Funke‑Media group’s Saturday papers.
Whether this support will be granted hinges on the conditions under which gas is produced. “We need to discuss this, especially in a period when we do not have many resources and are facing challenging geopolitical circumstances” Reiche said. She added that “a very sensitive balance must be struck between environmental concerns and raw‑material supply”; both sides are legitimate.
Reiche pointed out that the federal government has allowed the Netherlands to explore a gas field in the North Sea. “All the justified worries about marine protection notwithstanding, this should also be possible from a German perspective” she said. “We can’t keep outsourcing unpopular measures to our neighbours for the long term”.
She ruled out any imminent supply shortages, even as gas storage levels remain low. “There is no cause for worry. We have broadened our gas‑supply base: we have storage, LNG terminals and long‑term supply contracts. The gas markets are calm” she remarked.
Reiche praised the United States as a reliable liquid‑natural‑gas supplier, noting that the U.S. delivered on schedule even during a recent cold wave. While supporting U.S. LNG shipments, she also urged German companies to continue diversifying their imports.
Germany holds substantial shale‑gas reserves, but fracking has been banned since 2017. According to a 2025 climate assessment by the International Court of Justice, granting licenses for fossil‑fuel extraction may contravene international law.