Germany has not exempted Nord Stream 2 from the EU gas directive

The German Federal Grid Agency has refused Nord Stream 2 AG company the Nord Stream-2 gas pipeline operator the right to withdraw the project from the rules of the updated EU Gas Directive.

This decision calls into question the economic feasibility of the project, as it creates additional difficulties in its implementation.

Under the updated directive, pipelines running in the EU’s maritime economic zone are subject to regulations requiring the operator to reserve up to 50% of the capacity of the gas main for pumping fuel from alternative suppliers.

Representatives of Ukraine welcomed this decision of Germany.

Svitlana Melnyk, diplomat

We have a great historical victory in Berlin, which few – except us – believed in.

… Ukraine, whose economic and political interests are known to be directly and very significantly affected by the construction of this gas pipeline, had absolute confidence from the first minute that the German state would ensure fair and impartial consideration of the possible exclusion of NS2 from EU regulation. .

We are very grateful to our German partners for the bilateral consultations on energy issues held in the meantime, during which Ukraine was once again assured that the changes in German legislation adopted by the Bundestag in November 2019 were in no way and could not be aimed at to allow any exceptions for the NS2 project.

Therefore, we see the current decision of the Bundesnetzagentur as a kind of triumph in fair consideration of the interests of both interested EU countries and, above all, Ukraine as a future EU member state, which highly values ​​the constant strong support and solidarity of official Berlin.

Even if the fate of Nord Stream2 is now the German Themis will be decided by, Ukraine is extremely grateful to Germany for its solidarity!

Today is a fantastic decision for all those who still doubt that Ukraine will win! After all, the main thing is to believe in victory and work hard for it every day, bringing it closer.

And it is not necessary to listen numerous provocateurs, including some home-grown “great experts on Germany”, who almost every day tell fables that Merkel will surrender Ukraine.

Never! Neither the Chancellor nor the modern political elites of Germany!

Lana Zerkal, diplomat

As early as May 15, 2020, the German regulator rejected the request of Nord Stream 2 AG to exempt the part of Nord Stream-2 that runs in German sovereign waters from regulation (according to the directive).

This decision will not “kill” this project completely, but it creates additional complications in its implementation.

It is clear that the next step for NS2 will be to try to obtain an exemption from the directive, so we continue to work with partners to counter this.

Denys Shmygal, Prime Minister of Ukraine

I welcome Germany’s decision not to remove Nord Stream-2 from the requirements of the updated EU Gas Directive. Such actions of the regulator demonstrate commitment to uniform EU rules, regardless of the company or country. For its part, Ukraine and our gas transportation system remain a reliable partner of Europe in ensuring the transit of energy resources.

We will remind, construction of the gas pipeline stopped in December of last year after the introduction of additional sanctions by the USA. The readiness of the project is now estimated at 94%.

Earlier in Russia, they promised to complete and launch Nord Stream 2 by the end of 2020.