European Parliament Acknowledges Importance of Nord Stream Gas Pipeline
8. Juli 2008 | Strasbourg | Nord Stream welcomes the adoption today of a report on the impact of the planned pipeline by the European Parliament. This report clearly demonstrates an improved understanding by MEPs of the importance of the pipeline project for long-term security of energy supply in Europe. It also acknowledges the comprehensive Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) currently being carried out for the project.
The original report was initiated by the European Parliament Petitions Committee and drafted by Polish UEN MEP Marcin Libicki – who is also Chairman of the Petitions Committee – and contained several factual inaccuracies. However, a significant number of amendments to correct the original text have been approved by MEPs. The report is now significantly more measured and Nord Stream believes that the EIA being carried out will satisfy MEPs' requests for further information about the pipeline.
"We welcome the interest that the European Parliament is showing in the pipeline and are pleased to see the considerable efforts by MEPs to support a project that they recognised themselves as 'of European interest' under the EU's Trans-European Energy Networks (TEN-E) guidelines and amend what was originally a worryingly inaccurate report," said Maartje van Putten, EU Affairs Representative for Nord Stream. "MEPs understand that Europe needs new gas import routes to meet both rising demand and climate change commitments."
Nord Stream is fully committed to preserving the Baltic Sea environment and, as such, welcomes comments by Environment Commissioner Stavros Dimas, who took part in today's debate in the European Parliament. He confirmed that the EU's role is to ensure that Nord Stream conforms with EU environmental legislation. Nord Stream is complying with all international rules and appreciates the Commission's participation in the process. Commissioner Dimas added that it is the responsibility of Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Finland and Russia to assess the EIA submitted by Nord Stream.
The pipeline has been planned with a profound awareness of the environmental issues and conditions of the Baltic Sea. A comprehensive trans-boundary EIA report on the Nord Stream project is currently being prepared in line with national and international law (Espoo Convention). The report will provide new data and expertise on the Baltic Sea (its conditions, flora and fauna) to be made publicly available. The EIA report also takes into consideration the outcomes of the international consultations with all Baltic Sea countries which began in April 2006. Nord Stream will complete additional environmental surveys, based on the recent requests by authorities, this summer. The results will serve as part of the EIA report, the final draft of which will be submitted to the authorities in October 2008.
"Nord Stream shares with MEPs the desire to protect the Baltic Sea environment and has commissioned the most comprehensive studies ever conducted of the area. We believe that the publication of the EIA will resolve all of the environmental concerns raised in this report," added Maartje van Putten.
In line with its commitment to transparency and the obligations of all parties under the Espoo Convention, Nord Stream has actively engaged with the general public and with the authorities of all the countries of the Baltic region. Nord Stream will continue to engage with public bodies at all levels – including the European Parliament – in order to build on existing strong relations and continue to try to meet the challenge of correcting any remaining misperceptions about the planned pipeline.
