The European Commission has adopted a request to the Council of the European Union for a mandate to negotiate with the Russian Federation the key principles for the operation of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline project”.

The Nord Stream 2 project is implemented by the Nord Stream 2 AG project company, where Gazprom is the sole shareholder.

The project company believes that there is no need for an international agreement between the EU and the Russian Federation on Nord Stream 2.

According to the company, a comprehensive legal framework governing Nord Stream 2 and other import pipelines is already in place. There is no legal void, contrary to the European Commission’s politically motivated claims.

“Nord Stream 2 believes that this initiative is entirely unnecessary. The German regulator already confirmed that there is no legal void that needs to be addressed.

“Our permitting procedures have been launched successfully and are being conducted by the competent authorities in full compliance with all applicable laws. As part of these procedures, Nord Stream 2 is now actively engaging in open and transparent consultations with stakeholders in all countries around the Baltic Sea” - Sebastian Sass, EU representative Nord Stream 2 AG.

Nord Stream 2 said that the Commission seeks a “special legal framework” that would be applied only to Nord Stream 2 and not to any of the six comparable import pipelines that exist or are planned for transporting gas to the EU from outside the internal market.

Nord Stream 2 is a new 1,200 kilometers export gas pipeline running from Russia to Europe across the Baltic Sea.

The entry point of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline into the Baltic Sea will be the Ust-Luga area of the Leningrad Region. Its exit point in Germany will be in the Greifswald area close to the exit point of Nord Stream.

The pipeline is scheduled to be put into operation before late 2019.