EU-Russia Summit marked by Ukrainian political crisis
Brussels. The EU’s energy regulations are not discriminatory, despite that Russia and the EU still have serious disagreements on them, said EC President Jose Barosso after the EU-Russia Summit in Brussels on Tuesday, Darik radio reports.
The Russian company Gazprom operates in 20 of the EU member states, receives profits, and has the opportunity to protest against every decision, with which it does not agree, Mr Barosso pointed out.
Russia and the EU agreed to use 100% of the North Stream gas pipeline, said Russian President Vladimir Putin after the meeting. He said this is indication for progress even on the most complicated issues. The Opal pipeline system in Germany, which is part of the North Stream gas pipeline, was included by the EU in the Third Energy Package – this meant it had to provide 50% of its capacity to third parties. Then Russia made a request to use the full capacity of the pipeline for Russian gas supplies, and now this was approved.
Commenting on the compromise, the Russian president said that European business is widely presented in virtually every sector of Russian economy: “European companies, for example, have involvement in the implementation of the North Stream and South Stream projects, while European technologies and equipment play an important role in the modernisation of Russian industry.” Mr Putin added that the EU accounts for over 60% of Russian foreign investments, as well as for half of the overall foreign trade of Russia.
BNR reports that the unsolved issue with the South Stream project was not mentioned after the talks. The negotiating parties, however, remained their different opinions on the feasibility of the Third Energy Package and stated that they will seek a mutually acceptable solution.