EU Ministers Support EC Approach Seeking Nord Stream 2 Negotiating Mandate

The European Union member states' energy ministers have upheld the European Commission's proposal to seek a negotiating mandate on the Russia-led Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline project, EU Commission Vice-President for Energy Union Maros Sefcovic said.

BRUSSELS (Sputnik) — Last Thursday, Sefcovic said that Brussels still hopes to receive a mandate to negotiate the key principles of the Nord Stream 2 project operation with Russia from the EU member states.

"Just presented our proposal on Nord Stream mandate to EU Energy Ministers. First debate showed strong support for our approach," Sefcovic wrote on Twitter following the Transport, Telecommunications and Energy Council on Monday.

At the same time, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said that a special EU mandate for talks on the construction of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline project was not necessary, but added that several legal issues remain to be cleared up.

The Nord Stream 2 project presumes the construction of two gas pipelines with a combined annual capacity of 55 billion cubic meters of gas. The new pipeline is planned to be laid along Nord Stream pipeline route from the Russian coast through the Baltic Sea to a hub in Germany. The launch of the pipeline is scheduled for 2017. Shell, Engie, OMV, Uniper and Wintershall are Gazprom's partners on the project.