BRUSSELS, 8 February. /Corr. Denis Dubrovin/. Between the political and legal structures of the European Commission arose sharp disagreements about the applicability of European standards for gas pipeline “Nord stream-2”. About it writes on Monday, the newspaper Politico.
According to this is rooted in the documents, the legal service of the European Commission believes that regulation of the internal energy market the EU does not apply to pipeline, crossing the territory of the community, while the Directorate-General for energy of the European Commission “exploring options to circumvent the opinion of the legal service of the European Commission” to get the instruments to put pressure on the Russian project.
Legally inapplicable
“According to the findings of the legal service of the European Commission, mentioned in an internal memo, the rules of the energy market of the EU are not subject to the gas pipeline project “Northern stream-2″. Potentially, this finding may undermine all attempts to block the project,” – said the publication.
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It also notes that this finding deals a serious blow to the positions of the political opponents of the “Nord stream-2” in Washington and European capitals, “who argue that Moscow’s plans on the extension of gas pipeline to Germany are harmful to Ukraine.”
Politico acknowledges that the legal service of the EU has actually divided the arguments of the Russian side that gas infrastructure projects not located on the territory of EU member States cannot be subject to the regulations of the internal European energy market, in particular, the third energy package.
Bureaucrats against lawyers
According to Politico, in response to Gendirektora the European energy notes in its internal 13-page document that “Nord stream-2” is of concern, “in which considerations of legal services cannot be separated”.
The publication notes that this document actually demonstrates the attempts of gendirektora energy to circumvent the legal opinion of the neighboring patterns of the European Commission, “to get at its disposal the tools that can be used to stop “North stream-2”.
“Although the findings of the lawyers are not binding on Brussels, they show sharp internal disagreement between the officials of the European Commission in relation to gas pipeline project that could change the energy landscape of the EU”, – concludes the newspaper.
The European Commission is silent
Press service of the EC has so far refrained from making any comment on this topic. “We do not comment on leaks to the media,” – said the press service of the European Commission on this topic.
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The European Commission is not yet enough information to evaluate the project of the gas pipeline “Nord stream-2”, so it is unknown how long it will take expertise. This was announced 5 January, the European Commissioner for climate changes and energy Miguel arias Cañete speaking at the third energokontrole the EU-Norway in Brussels.
“We are assessing this marine project, but now we still do not have full information. We’re in the initial stages of the process,” he said.
The Commissioner also said that “Nord stream-2” is “not just a commercial project but is of great political importance”.
Help
“Nord stream-2” involves the construction of two offshore strings with a total capacity of 55 billion cubic meters of gas per year from Russia to Germany under the Baltic sea.
The project will be done by joint project company (JPC) New European Pipeline AG. Gazprom, the SPC will be owned 50%, the German E. ON and BASF/Wintershall, Anglo-Dutch Shell, Austria’s OMV, French ENGIE – 10% each.
