EC approves extension of EU requirements to Russian Nord Stream-2

"The European Commission has formally approved the proposal to extend the requirements of the Third Gas Directive (2009/73) to gas pipelines stretching from third countries, including to Nord Stream-2," she wrote, adding that in the future this initiative should be supported by the Council of the European Union and the European Parliament.

According to Zerkal, the EU continues to support the transit of Russian gas via the territory of Ukraine.

Read alsoGazprom's subsidiary throws almost $1 mln to lobby Nord Stream 2 in U.S."The position of the Commission on Nord Stream-2 is well known... Nord Stream-2 cannot be implemented in a legal vacuum or only in accordance with the laws of a third country. If it is constructed, the pipeline requires a legal framework that takes into account the key principles of the rules of the EU energy market," the deputy minister noted.

UNIAN memo. Nord Stream-2 project involves the construction of two strings of a gas pipeline from the Russian coast via the Baltic Sea to Germany. The operator of construction Nord Stream 2 AG (where Gazprom is the sole shareholder) and five European partners Shell, OMV, Engine, Uniper, and Wintershall finance the project. Gazprom provides 50% of the production budget of Nord Stream 2, while the rest companies cover 10% each.

Read alsoEuropean operators eyeing lease of Ukraine's gas transport system after 2020 – mediaAccording to Naftogaz CEO Andriy Kobolev, Nord Stream-2 does not in any way contribute to the diversification of gas supplies to the EU and does not provide the European Union with access to new sources of gas.

In late October, U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Marie Yovanovitch said that the Nord Stream-2 gas pipeline would deprive Ukraine of $2.7 billion in transit revenues per year, which is equivalent to 3% of the country's GDP.