Firms involved in the construction of the gas pipeline can be sanctioned by the United States.
(Photo: dpa)
–
– –
–
Brussels After the US sanctions against the Nord Stream 2 Baltic Sea pipeline, the EU Commission is preparing countermeasures. This is the result of a written response by the EU’s foreign minister, Josep Borrell, to a request from the European Parliament. Commission spokesman Eric Mamer did not want to say exactly what was planned on Friday.
US President Donald Trump put punitive measures against companies involved in the construction of the gas pipeline from Russia to Germany in late 2019. Borrell’s Thursday written response to a request from left-wing MP Emmanuel Maurel states that US sanctions against actions allowed under EU law are unacceptable and a violation of international law. There is a very open dialogue about this with the US government and Congress.
In addition, “the Commission is preparing to adopt a reinforced sanction mechanism that will improve Europe’s resilience to the effects of extra-territorial sanctions imposed by third countries,” the document said.
Nothing more can be said about that, said spokesman Mamer. “If we say that we are working on a proposal, then thinking and working on it are still in progress.” Be patient until the commission is ready to publish the details.
Trump has been criticizing Nord Stream 2 for years and accuses Germany of being militarily protected from Russia, but at the same time providing Moscow with high income from gas exports. Most recently, US senators had announced an increase in sanctions to stop Nord Stream 2. The line is almost done. It runs parallel to the Nord Stream pipeline, which has been transporting gas to Germany since the end of 2011.
More: Alexander Nowak condemns US punishment threats as interference in other states’ sovereignty. And he has an interesting forecast for the oil and gas price.
–
– .
