The Committee on Industry, Research and Energy (ITRE) agreed on an informal overhaul of EU gas market rules. The amended rules will cover both internal EU gas pipelines as well as all gas pipelines from non-EU countries into the EU, creating legal clarity for existing and new gas infrastructure. Statement by Jerzy Buzek (EPP, PL) rapporteur.

Committee on Industry, Research and Energy

statement

Strasbourg

oil and gas market (T)

BUZEK, Jerzy (EPP, PL)

EU gas market - new rules on gas pipelines inside the EU and from non-EU countries: statement by Jerzy Buzek (EPP, PL) rapporteur

SOUNDBITE (English), Jerzy BUZEK (EPP, PL), Rapporteur, Now, the European law will be applied to all gas pipelines inside European Union. Also outside. Also offshore gas pipelines to and from third countries.

SOUNDBITE (English), Jerzy BUZEK (EPP, PL), Rapporteur, European Commission should take responsibility for the negotiations with third countries, or to authorize the member state for such negotiations. But at the end of negotiations of the member states it is necessary to notify the result to the European Commission, before signing anything.

SOUNDBITE (English), Jerzy BUZEK (EPP, PL), Rapporteur,The directive is about all the gas pipelines, existing and new ones.

SOUNDBITE (English), Jerzy BUZEK (EPP, PL), Rapporteur,  It will be implemented the whole directive not later than in June, if we vote in the plenary mid-April. So it means from this point of view it will be valid also for Nord Stream 2 certainly. And Nord Stream 2 should be constructed and operated under the European Union law.. It was very important for us.

SOUNDBITE (English), Jerzy BUZEK (EPP, PL), Rapporteur, Any negotiations should not delay implementation of the European law or from this point of view is also a very big success of the last negotiations.