The Nord Stream 2 pipeline company has taken an unusual legal step in its dispute with the European Commission by asking the Court of Justice of the EU (CJEU) to annul the amendments to the Gas Directive which the Gazprom-led project considers discriminatory.

Western European investors Engie, OMV, Shell, Uniper and Wintershall are part of the Nord Stream 2, which is led by Russian gas monopoly Gazprom.

On Friday (26 July), Nord Stream 2 published a press release saying it had brought legal action for annulment before the General Court. Nord Stream 2 requests that Directive (EU) 2019/692 amending the EU Gas Directive be annulled because of an infringement of the EU law principles of equal treatment and proportionality.

Nord Stream 2 believes this would lead to the cancellation of Directive (EU) 2019/692. The pipeline company claims the amendment was clearly designed and adopted for the purpose of disadvantaging and discouraging the project.

“The amended Gas Directive breaches fundamental EU legal principles, such as non-discrimination. It is obviously a “lex Nord Stream 2”. That is why Nord Stream 2 has brought an action for annulment.”, Sebastian Saas, the Nord Stream 2 chief lobbyist told euractiv.

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