Minister says new EU Gas Directive not to stop Nord Stream-2

MOSCOW, Apr 5 (PRIME) -- Russia will build the Nord Stream-2 natural gas pipeline even under the amended E.U. Gas Directive, Energy Minister Alexander Novak told reporters on Friday.

“Judging by the draft (of amendments to the directive) that was considered and approved by the European Parliament yesterday, we should note that the project will be implemented. It will obviously be implemented in the framework of the legislation that might be approved. We will comply with the demands of the gas directive,” he said.

There are many legal nuances, and the situation depends on how exactly the E.U. countries will introduce the amendments into their legislation. “Now we can only speak about common parameters encompassed by the directive, and judging by its words, it should not become a wall for implementation of the project,” he said.

The European Commission put forward the amendments to the E.U. gas directive in 2017, suggesting applying the E.U. third energy package to all pipelines that run through the E.U. territory to and from the third countries. The bills require non-discriminatory regulation of tariffs and provision of access of third parties to gas pumping.

This means that the pipelines must have an operator independent of Russian gas giant Gazprom, and third parties must receive access to the capacities. However, only Gazprom can supply gas to the Russian end of the pipeline and is the only Russian company with the right to export gas.

The Nord Stream-2 project envisages construction of two lines of a natural gas pipeline with an annual capacity of up to 55 billion cubic meters, running from the Russian shore to Germany under the Baltic Sea. Gazprom will implement the project together with Germany’s E.ON and BASF, Royal Dutch Shell, OMV, and France’s Engie.

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