REUTERS

The Commission seeks to ensure that, if built, Nord Stream 2 operates in a transparent and non-discriminatory way with an appropriate degree of regulatory oversight, in line with key principles of international and EU energy law, reads the statement.

The Vice-President for Energy Union Maros Sefcovic said: "Creating a well-diversified and competitive gas market is a priority of the EU's energy security and Energy Union strategy. As we have stated already several times, Nord Stream 2 does not contribute to the Energy Union's objectives. If the pipeline is nevertheless built, the least we have to do is to make sure that it will be operated in a transparent manner and in line with the main EU energy market rules."

Read alsoPM Groysman: Kyiv does its best to hinder construction of Nord Stream-2 pipeline bypassing UkraineAs UNIAN reported earlier, in early September 2015, Russia's gas giant Gazprom, Shell, OMV, and E. On signed a shareholders' agreement on a joint project company, which would be engaged in the construction of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline.

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According to Naftogaz CEO Andriy Kobolev, the pipeline in no way contributes to the diversification of gas supplies to the EU and does not provide the European Union with access to new sources of gas. Moreover, the implementation of the Nord Stream 2 project will lead to the fact that the entry points of Russian gas supply into the EU will be almost entirely concentrated in Germany. However, the existing gas pipelines between the north of Germany and the countries of Central and Eastern Europe do not have enough capacity to deliver the necessary volumes of gas to the eastern European regions.

Read alsoGazprom, partners pledge $7.5 bln to Nord Stream-2 - mediaOn April 24, 2017, Gazprom and its European partners signed an agreement on financing the Nord Stream 2 pipeline.

UNIAN memo. Nord Stream 2 project involves the construction of two strings of a gas pipeline with a total capacity of 55 billion cubic meters of gas a year from the Russian coast via the Baltic Sea to Germany. A new pipeline is expected to be built next to Nord Stream.