The first phase of Oettinger's term was dominated by the Nabucco pipeline debate, his many trips to Azerbaijan and the Caspian region as well as his negotiations with Russian energy company Gazprom. Oettinger lobbied both for the Nabucco pipeline and the Trans Adriatic Pipeline, arguing they will be needed in the medium-term as routes to help secure European gas supply. The second phase began with the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster in 2011 and the resulting energy transition in Germany. Oettinger advised that there should be no new taxes on energy within the EU, and current taxes should not be raised, if prices are to be kept competitive with rivals fuelled by cheaper shale gas in the US.