EC slams Russia-German pipeline

In its first written statement on the matter, the European Commission expressed its doubts about the construction of Nord Stream 2.

The EC puts into question whether the pipeline will be able to solve Europe's problem with diversification of energy sources.

The report also stresses the fact, that Nord Stream 2 will enhance Russian export possibilities and deepen Europe's dependence on Russian resources.

The EC said that building of any further pipelines “would further increase transmission capacity from Russia to the EU, while even now this is only used at 50 percent rate”.

It added that the EU “is making progress to diversify sources, routes and suppliers of energy. However, about 40 percent of the EU gas imports in 2013 came from Russia and a series of Member States are still totally or predominantly dependent on supply from Russia, notably Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania and Slovakia."

The Commission states that the basis of the energy union lies in the safety of Europe in terms of energy supplies, and points to the fact that all of the EU’s enterprises should come directly out of that principle.

In this aspect, Nord Stream 2 does not fulfil Europe's needs, the EC said.

The pipeline is designed to omit, among others, Poland and Ukraine and go directly from Russia to Germany.

The Commission expressed an intent to conduct an in-depth analysis of the project, with the report stating that “The Commission will assess any such project against the European regulatory framework on its own merits.” (tf/rg)