The European Parliament strikes at Nord Stream 2
The European Parliament today adopted an updated directive (EU law) extending EU gas market rules to pipelines from non-EU countries, including Nord Stream 2, which is planned to run from Russia to Germany, reports a PolitNavigator correspondent.
The official website of the EU reports this.
“This is the end of an era of monopoly on the European gas market - a monopoly that either threatens with increased prices or simply turning off the tap,” emphasized the rapporteur on this issue, Chairman of the EP Committee on Industry, Research and Energy Jerzy Buzek during the debate at the plenary session held the day before in Brussels.
Parts of pipelines originating from third countries and routed through EU territory, including territorial waters, will have to comply with the requirements that apply to internal EU pipelines.
Among the main requirements are the separation of gas supply companies and companies transporting it, access to the pipeline of other operators, and transparent regulation of pumping tariffs. This means that the operator of Nord Stream 2 must be independent of Gazprom, and 50% of its throughput capacity must be reserved for alternative suppliers. Exceptions are possible, but only with the approval of the European Commission.
“Too often gas supplies have been used as a political weapon,” Buzek said. “We cannot “disarm” the unclean plans of others, but we can arm ourselves with complete legal clarity and consistency of current legislation. This is what our Energy Union and this updated directive are about.”
In the EU, natural gas is mainly used to heat homes and generate electricity. They provide a quarter of the total energy consumption. Many EU countries depend on gas imports. More than 70% of it is imported, and further growth in imports is expected, according to a certificate from the European Parliament.
According to data for the third quarter of 2018, the main supplier of gas to the EU was Russia (47%), followed by Norway (34%), Algeria and Libya (together 8,6%). The main supply route for Russian gas was through Ukraine (almost half of the total volume), followed by the pipeline from Yamal through Belarus (about 20%) and Nord Stream 1 (Nord Stream, 30%). 89% of gas is imported into the EU via pipes, the rest by ship in the form of LNG.
After voting in the European Parliament, the directive will have to be approved by the EU Council and will enter into force 20 days after publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.
The European Parliament has struck a blow to Nord Stream 2.