EU agrees on rules for the natural gas Pipeline Nord Stream 2

In the dispute over new rules for pipeline projects such as Nord Stream 2 have made EU negotiators a compromise. This is the news Agency DPA learned early Wednesday morning from negotiating circles in Strasbourg.

There is a preliminary agreement reached by the EU countries and the European Parliament with the EU Commission, it was said. The operator of the gas pipeline from Russia to Germany now to pads taken. But the project of the Russian state company Gazprom will not slow down for that, I guess.

The EU Commission had already proposed in 2017, with a view to Nord Stream 2 is a Modification of the EU Gas Directive. Accordingly, the Pipelines of a third country should be subject to in the European Union the same requirements as pipelines in the EU. So, among other things, ownership and operation may not lie in a Hand. Germany wanted to prevent that, but agreed to an open quarrel with France last week, in the circle of the EU-countries, the principle rules, but with a few special.

Now it has been made according to three Parties also reached an agreement with representatives of the European Parliament. Details were not initially learn. The provisional agreement must still be approved formally by the Council of the member countries and the European Parliament. Then the Change of the Gas Directive would be final.

New pipeline through the Baltic sea

Nord Stream 2 is already built to a large extent and is expected to end in 2019. The 1200-Kilometer-long pipeline through the Baltic sea, then to transport annually up to 55 billion cubic meters of natural gas from Russia to Germany. A number of EU countries and the USA are opposed to the project. On Tuesday the US had renewed-Minister of foreign Affairs, Mike Pompeo, his criticism of the Pipeline. The United States and denounced Russia's influence in Europe, and also have economic interests in the sale of its liquefied gas in Europe.

a member of The Green and negotiator Reinhard Bütikofer had insisted before the decisive round of Negotiations on strict EU rules. "There can be no shared European energy law and no special rights for Gazprom and Nord Stream 2," said Bütikofer. The Parliament is going to make sure that the EU Gas Directive is to be applied on Nord Stream 2 and no loopholes would arise. (sda)

Created: 13.02.2019, 07:51 PM