EU may prohibit “South Stream”

Gazprom’s pipeline “South Stream” will not be able to operate in the European Union if it does not comply with legislation of Europe in energy sector. An agreement process may take a number of years. UNIAN reports citing an announcement of the European Committee.

EU does not permit energy products suppliers to own pipelines, which they use for pumping their fuel to the consumer. Despite this fact, Gazprom started the construction of South Stream in Serbia in November. Gazprom’s deputy head A.Medvedev said the company found purchasers for the whole volume of gas amounting to 63 billion cubic metres a year. “I do not think “South Stream” will operate on the territory of the EU, if it does not comply with the EU legislation,” a spokesman for the energy department of the EU Claus Dieter Borkhardt said.