MOL, Slovnaft File EU Complaint Over JANAF Crude Pipeline Transit Fees
MOL Group and Slovnaft have filed another complaint with the European Commission accusing Croatian pipeline operator JANAF of abusive crude oil transit pricing that could threaten regional supply security.
(P&GJ) — MOL Group and Slovnaft have filed a formal complaint with the European Commission accusing Croatian pipeline operator JANAF of abusive pricing practices for crude oil transportation to refineries in Central Europe.
The complaint was submitted to the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Competition and challenges transit fees charged on the JANAF pipeline system, which delivers crude oil to inland refineries in Hungary and Slovakia.
According to MOL Group, the operator significantly increased its transportation fees after the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine war in 2022 and has maintained those levels without providing a clear justification.
Following the surge in demand for alternative supply routes, MOL said the volume it ordered through the system increased by roughly one-and-a-half times. Despite the higher volumes, the company said the pipeline operator nearly doubled its fees.
“JANAF has consistently applied abusive pricing practices that are not supported by objective reasons.”
The companies claim the transit fee charged by JANAF is now substantially higher than comparable pipeline systems in the region.
On a per-unit basis, the Croatian pipeline’s fee is more than three times higher than the fee charged by the operator of the TAL pipeline, which runs from the port of Trieste through Austria and Germany.
MOL also said the JANAF tariff is almost twice the fee it pays to transport crude through the Ukrainian section of the Druzhba pipeline, despite the operational challenges posed by the ongoing war.
Pipelines with similar technical and economic conditions also charge significantly lower rates, the company said, including pipeline systems in Slovakia, Hungary and Belarus.
Under EU competition rules, the companies argue JANAF holds a dominant position in the market for transporting crude oil to inland refineries in Hungary and Slovakia.
“Under EU competition law, JANAF holds monopol position in the market for the transportation of crude oil to inland refineries in Hungary and Slovakia.”
MOL and Slovnaft claim the pricing practices amount to an abuse of market dominance because the fees are excessive compared with operating costs and cannot be objectively justified.
The companies also raised concerns about legal uncertainty surrounding Russian crude shipments through the pipeline. According to MOL, the Croatian operator has not provided a clear position on whether it will allow shipments that comply with EU and U.S. sanctions.
The companies previously submitted a separate complaint earlier this month related to the handling of Russian crude oil shipments.
The dispute also comes as MOL says it does not yet have a valid crude transportation contract with JANAF for 2026. The company added that planned capacity tests on the pipeline have not begun because of delays on the Croatian operator’s side.
MOL said the situation risks creating additional uncertainty for crude supply to refineries in Hungary and Slovakia and could affect energy security in Central and Eastern Europe.