Nord Stream 2’s certification procedure must meet the highest European standards, the climate and environment ministry stresses. The head of the MoE added that the German regulatory authority, given the controversy over Nord Stream 2, should seek to guarantee competition.
On Monday, PGNiG and its German subsidiary PST submitted an application to participate in the proceedings leading to the certification of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline operator. The owner of the gas pipeline – Nord Stream 2 AG – requested such permission from the German regulator.
I welcome the information that companies from the PGNiG Group have applied to be included in the certification procedure of Nord Stream 2 – emphasised Michał Kurtyka, Minister for Climate and Environment, quoted by the department on Thursday.
It was explained that the certification procedure results directly from the provisions of the European law and is supposed to ensure the independence of the gas pipeline operator from companies engaged in, among others, natural gas trading.
The certified entity is obliged to ensure equal competition for all interested market participants, as well as to determine fees related to the use of the gas pipeline on transparent and fair principles – it was pointed out.
The ministry added that in the opinion of PGNiG and PST, Nord Stream 2 does not guarantee proper implementation of the principles stemming from the European legislation, first of all the so-called Third Energy Package.
The very fact that the owner of Nord Stream 2 infrastructure applied for certification of the model of gas pipeline operation, which in the weakest way protects market participants, raises concerns. What is more, the possibility of adopting such an operator model on this gas pipeline raises doubts, given that it was not put into operation before the date indicated in the EU regulations – it was emphasised.
The head of the Ministry of the Environment Michal Kurtyka pointed out that the German regulatory authority, given the numerous controversies surrounding the pipeline, as well as the recent antitrust case against Nord Stream 2 owner Gazprom, should strive to guarantee competition to the fullest extent possible. “Poland will use all available means to ensure the full enforceability of European regulations on the EU import infrastructure, including the Nord Stream 2 pipeline,” – he assured.
rel. PortalMorski.pl
