BERLIN, June 22. /TASS/: Nord Stream 2 AG, the operator of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline project, should substantiate its appeal against the decision of the German Federal Network Agency [Bundesnetzagentur] not to exempt the Nord Stream 2 project from requirements of the revised EU gas directive, a spokesperson of the Higher Regional Court in Dusseldorf told TASS on Monday.
"The complaint does not contain a rationale so far. For the time being, the applicant [Nord Stream 2 AG — TASS] has time until September 15, 2020 to do so," the Court said. The German regulator will then be offered to express its position, the spokesperson noted. Furthermore, it is not ruled out that third parties with their interests affected by the appeal can participate in the case.
"I can only speculate at present concerning the specific course of proceedings," the spokesperson noted. At the same time, "it is highly unlikely" that first hearings can take place this year, he added. "The Senate will fix the hearing date only when all the parties will take advantage of the opportunity to lay down their positions in writing and highlight issues at variance," the spokesperson said.
Nord Stream 2 AG appealed on June 15 against a decision of the Federal Network Agency of Germany to the court in Dusseldorf, the company told TASS earlier.
On May 15, the Federal Network Agency of Germany refused Nord Stream 2 AG in withdrawing the Nord Stream 2 project from the rules of the updated EU Gas Directive. The agency noted that the necessary condition for removing the pipeline from the rules of the updated Gas Directive was its implementation before May 23, 2019.
The Nord Stream 2 project includes the construction of two pipelines with a total capacity of 55 bln cubic meters per year from the coast of Russia through the Baltic Sea to Germany. To date, 93% of Nord Stream 2 has been finished.
