Ukraine is trying to make its own voice in the certification of the Nord Stream 2 natural gas pipeline by the German authorities. However, the preliminary statement of the German energy regulator indicates that Berlin does not agree with the statement that the pipeline will threaten the security of gas supply in Germany and other EU member states.
On October 20th, Ukrainian Naftogaz submitted a request to participate in the Nord Stream 2 AG certification process to Bundesnetzagentur (BNetzA), the German energy regulator.
The German certification process started on September 8, 2021, after Nord Stream 2 accepted the application. Usually this process should last four months.
“Our request for intervention is based on our assessment that the Beixi 2 project violates EU law,” Naftogaz CEO Yuriy Vitrenko said in a written statement when submitting the request.
“Nord Stream 2 aims to increase Europe’s dependence on Russian natural gas and weaken European energy security and competitive natural gas markets.”
“Germany and European institutions must now determine whether Russia is allowed to push its agenda to the detriment of European companies and consumers, or whether it has an obligation to operate within the rule of law. The fight to stop Nord Stream 2 is far from over.”
Naftogaz has conveyed the same concerns to the European Commission, which is preparing to conduct its own assessment of whether the pipeline complies with EU gas market rules.
At the same time, the Ukrainian authorities were deeply shocked by the official statement from Germany, stating that the pipeline “will not endanger the security of gas supply in Germany and the European Union”.
Despite assurances from the outgoing German Chancellor Angela Merkel and other leaders, Ukraine pointed out that transit through Ukraine has dropped by 70% in 10 months.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmitro Kuleba said on October 27 that Ukraine felt “sad” about Germany’s position, and reiterated that Kiev would ask its German partners to “do not treat Beixi without detailed analysis.” Made a hasty decision on the project number.”
“Our ultimate goal is for Nord Stream 2 to apply all the standards of the third energy package,” Kuleba said.
Ukraine’s argument
According to Kiev, the certification of Nord Stream 2 is a question of whether Gazprom, the owner of Nord Stream 2, will be granted a privileged position in the European gas market, thereby damaging the market and Ukrainian participants and consumers. Benefit. The main natural gas transit supplier.
Ukraine reiterated that the European Energy Law requires the operators of Nord Stream 2 to be completely separated and independent of Gazprom. Third-party access rules and non-discriminatory, transparent and cost-reflecting tariffs should be applied from Lubmin, which ends in Germany to Lubmin. Its starting point is Ust-Luga, Russia.
From the perspective of Ukraine, in order to ensure the security of supply in the EU through the diversification of transit routes, it is essential that the alternative transit corridor from Russia to the EU through Ukraine should remain operational.
This requires that in accordance with the principle of energy solidarity, European competition law and Germany’s international obligations to Ukraine, the Ukrainian transit corridor should be opened to non-Gazprom related parties for natural gas transportation between Russia and Europe.
Ukraine also argued that Gazprom and Russia should extend their current transit arrangements with Naftogaz and Ukraine beyond 2024 on similar terms.
No business reason
Sergiy Makogon, the director general of the Ukrainian gas transmission system operator GTSOU, told EURACTIV in written comments that Gazprom’s actions had no commercial reasons. He said that Gazprom today paid Ukraine 109 cubic meters per day for its transportation capacity-twice the amount of natural gas it shipped to Europe.
“There is no commercial justification for this behavior. In fact, there is no clearer evidence that these are deliberate and discretionary decisions not to ship natural gas to Europe. Beixi 2 has not been certified, but efforts to terminate the transit route in Ukraine can’t be more obvious.” Makogon said.
“We still strongly oppose this geopolitical dangerous project that threatens Ukraine’s national security, erodes the European energy architecture, and tries to circumvent EU regulations.”
“The certification of Nord Stream 2 AG will infringe GTSOU’s commercial and legal interests, which is the basis for our application to BNetzA. Nord Stream 2 will not diversify natural gas transportation routes and threaten the security of supply in Europe. We believe that we are responsible. Inform our strategic partners of these concerns,” the head of GSTO insisted.
From the perspective of Kiev, the continuity of gas transportation through Ukraine remains the strongest non-military buffer against Russia’s escalating aggression and the cornerstone of Eastern Europe’s energy security.
[Edited by Zoran Radosavljevic]
