Germany has suspended Nord Stream 2 certification
22:05
Germany temporarily suspended the consent process for gas transmission via the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline. Reason: formal incompatibilities with German law. The certification confirms that the gas pipeline will operate in accordance with EU regulations. Suspension of certification means that it is not possible to start deliveries with it.
The reason for the suspension of certification given by the BNetzA (Bundesnetzagentur – Federal Network Agency), the German grid regulator, is that Nord Stream 2 AG, the pipeline operator owned by Russia's Gazprom, is registered in Switzerland. Meanwhile, under German law, the company should operate under German law. Therefore, the operator intends to establish a German subsidiary.
The German office now has four months to decide on the certification of Nord Stream 2 AG before it is submitted to the European Commission.
The decision is made at a critical time for Europe when gas resources are very small and followed by rising gas prices. Many countries, including Poland, accuse Gazprom of deliberately limiting gas supplies to Europe in order to accelerate the pressure to launch a new gas pipeline to Germany.
