The German Bundestag created legal and planning security for the gas pipeline Nord Stream 2. (picture alliance/dpa)
Germany's lower house of parliament, the Bundestag, has cleared the way for the controversial Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline. The parliamentary groups of the governing coalition partners, the Christian Democrats (CDU/CSU) and the Social Democrats (SPD) as well as the opposition Free Democrats (FDP) voted to implement an EU Gas Directive into national law. This is intended to create legal and planning security for Nord Stream 2. The Greens voiced sharp criticism.
An amendment to the draft bill that has now been adopted altered a deadline regulation, which stated up until when exceptions to certain provisions of the directive are possible. It now states that "all circumstances" of the individual case must be taken into account.
The amendment to the EU Gas Directive adopted in April stipulates that in future EU energy regulations will also apply to pipelines leading from third countries into the European Union. This means that the production of natural gas and the operation of the pipeline must not be in the same hand - in contrast to what was previously the case with Nord Stream 2.
The Greens accused the coalition of having softened the EU Gas Directive. The Green politician Julia Verlinden said that the coalition was thus counteracting the unbundling of production and operations.
Coalition politicians, on the other hand, defended the pipeline. Peter Bleser, CDU member of parliament, said that Nord Stream 2 would increase the security of the energy supply and help keep prices stable.
EU states and the United States complain that the pipeline from Russia to Germany through the Baltic Sea increases Europe's energy dependency on Russia and damages the interests of the EU’s Eastern European member states and partner countries.
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