Official: Russia’s N Stream-2 not subject to EU 3rd energy package

BRUSSELS, Feb 11 (PRIME) -- Russia’s Nord Stream-2 pipeline will not have any land part in the E.U. and must not be subject to the third energy package, permanent representative to the E.U. Vladimir Chizhov told PRIME in an interview published Thursday.

“Since this pipeline has only the sea part (except, of course, the land part on the Russian territory). Then, in the opinion of not only the Russian side, not only the European energy companies which participate in this project, but in the opinion of European lawyers as well, this sea part is not subject to the E.U. law, in particular, in what concerns the aforementioned third energy package,” Chizhov said.

He said that under the E.U. energy rules, Nord Stream-2 will have to pass an environment safety expertise but there were no problems with Nord Stream-1, which is why no difficulties are expected this time as well.

The third energy package includes rules barring gas suppliers from owning gas transportation networks and affects gas giant Gazprom’s E.U. projects because it is the main stakeholder of the pipelines.

Chizhov said that unlike the South Stream which was earlier blocked by the E.U., Nord Stream-2 will succeed because it does not necessary have to obey the European rules.

“It was precisely the land part which gave the European Commission the formal right to voice its position and finally block the South Stream, contesting the intergovernmental agreements which had been concluded between countries participants of the project and Russia, on the basis of the so-called third package.”

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