Germany to Save Nord Stream 2 from the European Union

The German ruling coalition has developed a bill to bring the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline out of the action of the new gas EU directive, Bild reports. The current directive assumes that pipeline operators, even from third countries, and gas suppliers should be completely independent. This means that Gazprom cannot be simultaneously owner and supplier of the gas pipeline. At the same time, EU requirements allow exceptions for pipelines built before May 23, 2019, for example, the Nord Stream. The construction of Nord Stream 2 is still ongoing. Denmark issued a permit to lay pipes in its waters only at the end of October, so the commissioning of the pipeline is likely to take place in early 2020. In order to circumvent the directive, the MPs decided to expand the list of reasons for exceptions. One of them was the need to protect investment in the project. The new text of the document is supposed to consider this when determining the date when the project was completed. Thus, a rigid rule gets an opportunity for interpretation. Ukraine is against the pipeline construction and wants to preserve the transit of Russian gas, as well as Poland, the Baltic countries and the United States. They are sure that Nord Stream 2 will strengthen Europe’s dependence on Russia. The EU is also trying to limit Moscow’s influence on the gas issue. In early September, the European Court forbade Gazprom to fill the OPAL gas pipeline, a continuation of the first Nord Stream pipeline, by more than 50 percent, despite the absence of others who wanted to use it. The Russian company intends to challenge the decision. Lenta