The European Parliament energy committee voted by 41 to 13, with 9 abstentions on Wednesday 21 March to adopt the draft Parliament amendments prepared by its chair Jerzy Buzek (Poland) to the proposal presented by the European Commission in November 2018 to amend the 2009 gas directive in order to clarify the regulatory framework for gas pipelines into the EU from third countries – and thus set the rules for the controversial Russian pipeline project Nord Stream-2 (see EUROPE 11900).
The intention is to make it clear that the principles of EU law set out in the third package on the liberalisation of the energy market (third party access to the network, pricing rules, ownership unbundling and transparency) must apply to all gas pipelines to and from third countries on EU territory.
The MEPs say that EU gas market rules must apply to all new and existing pipelines entering or leaving the EU, with strictly limited exceptions.
They have tightened the conditions to be met for exceptions to gas market rules, such as derogations (for existing pipelines) or exemptions (for new pipelines), to be allowed by imposing a maximum 5-year time limit on exemptions, strengthening the role of the Commission in decisions on derogations and involving member states whose market could be affected by pipeline infrastructure along with the authorities of the relevant third country, in deciding derogations and exemptions.
The committee has thus amended the amendment to the gas directive to say that, when deciding upon exemptions for new pipelines entering the EU, the Commission should consider any EU restrictive measures, such as economic sanctions, imposed on that third country.
As soon as they receive a mandate from Parliament, probably during the April plenary session, Buzek and the shadow rapporteurs will be able to open negotiations with the Bulgarian Presidency of the Council of the EU, which has yet to adopt its position. (Original version in French by Emmanuel Hagry)