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Nord Stream 2 operator refuses to comment on statement about non-compliance with EU

The company, as the developer of a commercial investment project, cannot provide comments on the political discourse, the statement reads

MOSCOW, December 13. /TASS/. Nord Stream 2 AG, the operator of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline, cannot provide comments on political statements about the pipeline’s non-compliance with the EU’s regulation, a source in the company told TASS.

Germany’s Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said earlier on Monday that the country’s regulator had suspended the certification of the Nord Stream 2 operator due to its non-compliance with the EU’s energy regulation.

"Nord Stream 2 AG, as the developer of a commercial investment project, cannot provide comments on the political discourse," the company told TASS.

The certification has been suspended as the Swiss-headquartered operator Nord Stream 2 AG must register a subsidiary in Germany. Until that is accomplished, the certification process has been frozen. Meanwhile Nord Stream 2 AG told TASS earlier that the company was in the process of establishing a subsidiary in Germany to ensure the compliance with all rules and regulatory requirements.

"Our company is undertaking this step to ensure the compliance with applicable rules and regulatory requirements," the company told TASS on Monday, adding that no comments can be provided on the details of the procedure, its timeframe or the influence on the terms of the pipeline’s commissioning.

The construction of Nord Stream 2 was fully completed on September 10, 2021. Before pumping can commence, the operator of the project should be registered as an independent transport operator - the Federal grid agency is to issue certification by January 8, 2022. The agency cannot prohibit commercial gas pumping, but if it starts before the registration is finalized the operator will be fined. This registration is obligatory for meeting the norms of the EU Gas Directive.

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