RBTH: EU wants to discuss approaches to South Stream project with Russia

The Russia-European Union Permanent Council's meeting to be held in Nicosia on Dec. 12 is expected to discuss the parties' common approaches to the construction of the South Stream gas pipeline, European Energy Commissioner Gunther Oettinger said on Monday.

Oettinger said the meeting is well prepared and inspires the hope that an agreement will be negotiated with the Russian partners at the Russia-EU summit on Dec. 20-21 in Brussels, and that the work will continue in 2013 based on common approaches.

The EU welcomes the project, he said.

But the EU countries asked the European Commission to highlight three provisions in the European law and guarantee compliance: environmental protection in line with European standards, and the observance of the rules of the single internal market and state purchases, Oettinger said.  MORE