EU voices against Nord Stream project are louder

No new direct EU sanctions against Russia are currently foreseen. This became clear at the EU summit. Federal Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier told ARD that new sanctions against Russia would be counterproductive. “What worked in Ukraine doesn't have to be the right decision in Syria. We need Russia to ensure peace in Syria, ”he said.

Thus, the focus is on the possible punishment of Russia for the military action in Syria by keeping the proposal for the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline. The project will be operated mainly by Germany, thus, gas prices could be reduced by 20 percent. In the rest of the EU, however, some are against the project because countries see it as a benefit only to Germany. Poland's Minister for European Affairs writes in a commentary to the FT that the project is incompatible with European values.

The planned pipeline will pass through the waters of Russia, Finland, Sweden, Denmark and Germany. For this reason, a permit for the construction and operation of the pipeline is required from each of these five countries. Poland, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia are included in the international consultation process as they may also be affected by the Baltic Sea project. Sweden received approval in mid-September 2016. These permit applications in Germany, Denmark, Finland and Russia will be included in the main national approval procedures for 2017.

In September 2015, BASF SE /Wintershall, E.ON SE, Engie, OMV and Royal Dutch Shell and Gazprom signed a cooperation agreement on the construction of Nord Stream 2 in Moscow. As part of Nord Stream 2, two pipelines will be built from Russia to Germany.