Dispute about Nord Stream 2 : The tricky Pipeline compromise

It took some negotiation to defuse the threat of a dispute between Germany and France in Brussels. The debate over the controversial Gas Pipeline Nord Stream 2, in which Paris had placed in this week's surprise against Berlin, is now at least on paper.

Germany and France submitted on Friday a joint compromise paper to the effect that a stricter regulation for the multi-billion project to be possible. So France won.

at the same time, but it has been ensured that the pipeline, which is to record the beginning of 2020, your operation should not be compromised by the new requirements. This point is contrary to the Federal government.

security concerns in Eastern Europe

The Federal government is pushing ahead despite considerable security concerns in the Eastern European EU member States, the Nord Stream-2 project, which is intended to ensure the supply of gas in Germany.

The EU Commission would like to get, however, access to the project. The planned Change of the Gas could be Directive, which would allow stricter regulation. This would be especially in the sense of many Eastern European States, who see the project as critical.

Until the middle of this week, had kept Paris in the EU's internal dispute still. France had secured, until Recently, the German partners of a blocking minority in the circle of EU States, which could be prevented by a Change in the Gas Directive.

As the Paris Ministry of foreign Affairs but confirmed on Thursday that France transfer to the camp of the Eastern Europeans and an Amendment to the Gas Directive was intended to allow, struck the hour of the negotiator. Apparently, it was the permanent representatives of Germany and France in Brussels, who elaborated on Friday morning, the compromise paper.

Paris: Pipeline project can be put under EU control

the Commission, which supports the paper that was in the negotiations. The joint proposal from Berlin and Paris, the rest of the EU member States endorsed on Friday afternoon, almost unanimously, leaving the responsibility for the Pipeline in the Baltic sea in German hands.

However, the completion of which may be complicated. Because of the compromise allowed it to the Paris reading that the EU Commission receives a control option.

That the President and Emmanuel Macron noted this week, all of a sudden on the side of the Eastern Europeans, meanwhile, completely by surprise. In the past, the French head of state had made geopolitical concerns about the Nord Stream-2 project claims. Paris shares the concern that the Pipeline dependence on Russia, will increase still further.

France in favour of US sanctions

According to French media reports, the pivot of France to the Gas Directive but also to economic interests. The French company Engie is involved in Nord Stream 2. France seems to want to avoid that Engie of U.S. sanctions will be affected, which could impose on Washington in the framework of the "Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act" (CAATSA).

The law was adopted in 2017, and puts Washington in the position to impose financial sanctions against companies that invest in the construction of Russian Export Pipelines. In August 2017, US President, Donald Trump has signed a bill to impose new sanctions against Iran, North Korea, and Russia.

Suitable for the upcoming decisions on the Amendment of the Gas Directive, which will soon pass is probably the European Parliament, the U.S. Ambassador in Berlin, Brussels and Paris, the mood against the Pipeline project. The US Ambassador in Germany, Richard Grenell, had threatened that in the project participating companies would have to expect sanctions.

Macron-Familiar looks "symbolic Signal" in the cancellation of the President

For upset in the English-French ratio, the cancellation of Macrons provides at the Munich security conference in the coming week. In France, the refusal of the President, whose participation at the prestigious conference alongside German Chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU) on 16. February is not a big issue, was provided on Friday.

The more the attention of the French Public is on the citizens ' dialogue also provided the justification for Macrons cancellation: France's President wants to defuse with a "great debate" the ongoing Protest of the "yellow vests". Because of the citizens ' dialogue at the Macron before the European elections in may, the highest priority, he does not want to leave France until mid-March.

Jürgen Trittin to Nord Stream 2 "Trump wants Russia economically totrüsten"

However, it is also no small thing when the President has a meeting with the Chancellor burst. The Macron-a Familiar, Henrik Enderlein, tweeted: "If a joint appearance of Merkel and Macron is cancelled, then that is always a symbolic Signal that is perceived in the rest of the EU."