UPI: Europe rules Serbia is breaking gas pipeline rules

Serbia hasn't taken the steps necessary to keep natural gas suppliers out of the pipeline transit sector, a European regulator said.

The Energy Community Secretariat said state-owned transit company Srbijagas and Yugorosgaz, a subsidiary of Russian energy company Gazprom, have not met their obligations to separate production from gas transmission as European legislation requires.

The secretariat ruled Srbijagas hasn't unbundled its transit system activities. While Yugorosgaz has set up a separate pipeline subsidiary, that wasn't enough to ensure independent decision making within the company.

"Serbia is now requested to rectify the identified issues of non-compliance within a time limit of two months," the secretariat said in a statement Monday.  MORE