European Commission Confirms Delays on OPAL Decision

The European Commission further postponed from the end of October to the end of January the deadline for taking a decision on OPAL. European authorities have to decide whether to grant Gazprom more access to the gas pipeline across Germany.  

The Russian company has reduced access to the pipeline, but no other company voiced its interest to take up the spare capacity.

"The Commission has agreed with the German Federal Network Agency (Bundesnetzagentur) to prolong the deadline for issuing a decision on OPAL. The reason ... is that certain technical aspects require further attention," a Commission official said to Reuters. 

The comment is in line with previous declarations of Gazprom’s spokesman Sergei Kupriyanov, who recently said that the company is initiating new talks with the new European Commission. 

European authorities have to decided whether to grant OPAL an exemption from the Third Energy Package.