Poland fined Gazprom for the construction of "Nord Stream 2"

24

The Polish Office for the Protection of Competition and Consumers (UOKiK) has fined Russian Gazprom in the amount of 57 million euros for violating Polish antimonopoly laws during the construction of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline.

The head of UOKiK, Tomasz Khrustny, decided to fine the Russian concern for refusing to cooperate in the proceedings on the construction of the SP-2.



To finance the work, a consortium was created - this was done without the consent of the management of the Polish regulator. In this regard, charges were brought against four companies from the Netherlands: Shell, OMV, Wintershall, Uniper, the Swiss firm Engie Energy, as well as the Russian Gazprom. Representatives of the latter refused to provide the Polish side with the necessary documentation for the proceedings

- said in a statement UOKiK.

According to Khrustny, the creation of a consortium to finance the construction of Nord Stream 2 is contrary to Polish and European laws on limiting the activities of monopolies. UOKiK also prevented European participants from setting up an operating company to build the pipeline. As a result, such operators became a subsidiary of Gazprom, Nord Stream 2 AG, and the project is financed with loans.
24 comments
Information
Dear reader, to leave comments on the publication, you must sign in.
  1. 123
    +4
    3 August 2020 11: 08
    To finance the work, a consortium was created - this was done without the consent of the management of the Polish regulator.

    Poland is simply the standard of modesty. good You can, of course, laugh, but in fact there is not much fun here. These are signs of the collapse of the world order. We will soon reach the point that the merchants' caravans will be sent with security. Fight off robbers, regulators, arbitration courts and other covetous people.
  2. +5
    3 August 2020 11: 15
    It's time for Russia to prohibit the import of Belarusian shrimps and other things into the territory of the Russian Federation, let the Crafty and the lords count the losses, otherwise it hurts. This behavior of Poland only suggests that the Russian Federation should rather finish the construction of the SP-2 and introduce a complete embargo on trade with the Polish masters and their Bandera slaves.
  3. 0
    3 August 2020 11: 26
    Poor Gazprom! Its pipelines make it vulnerable to all kinds of blackmailers and extortionists! Miller, switch to LNG!
    1. 123
      +1
      3 August 2020 15: 59
      Poor Gazprom! Its pipelines make it vulnerable to all kinds of blackmailers and extortionists! Miller, switch to LNG!

      It will not change anything. A gas carrier or a pipe at the bottom of the Baltic has about the same attitude to the Polish mad judge. A bunch of screwed-up lawyers decided they were the masters of the world. In the next decision, they may be offended by the fact that Miller is building gas carriers.
      I looked at this strange main Polish anti-monopoly officer, doubts about his sanity increased.
      What the UOKiK (Office for the Protection of Competition and Consumers) have grounds for fining foreign companies for projects that do not concern Poland is not clear at all. Some kind of surrealism.

      https://www.uokik.gov.pl/aktualnosci.php?news_id=16648
  4. +1
    3 August 2020 12: 25
    If Gazprom is beaten, and he tolerates, then he agrees to tolerate ...
    I saved money on lawyers, did not enter my office, optimized the money allocated for the agreement ...
    Not the first time. Will recoup at domestic prices.
    1. +2
      3 August 2020 12: 36
      Alas, we simply have nothing to respond to such antics of Western governments.
      1. +2
        4 August 2020 08: 40
        There is something to answer. It has been said a hundred times that the Kremlin needs will. Six months of a ban on the supply of hydrocarbons to Europe and everything (and everything) will calm down. It will immediately become clear who owes whom.
        1. +1
          4 August 2020 09: 17
          Six months of a ban on the supply of hydrocarbons to Europe and everything (and everything) will calm down.

          It is strange to hear such proposals from you. Such a move will be the decline of Russian gas exports to Europe. They will basically switch to LNG.
          1. +1
            4 August 2020 09: 32
            First of all, they won't.
            Secondly, LNG from Russia is still cheaper than from Qatar or the United States.
            Third, in principle, Europe will not want to freeze its ears. It is easier for them to overturn illegal court decisions.
            1. +1
              4 August 2020 09: 39
              For those who are not friendly with arithmetic. And he fears the decline of "gas exports to Europe".
              GazProm has pumped something about 200 billion cubic meters to Europe per year. At $ 100 (which is easier to count), this makes $ 20 billion a year. Anyone interested in the summary claims against Gazprom? 3 billion to Ukraine, 1,7 billion to Poland. Ukraine is preparing a claim for another 17 billion. Poland and Bulgaria have already achieved a revision of the price, Turkey does not fulfill the terms of the contract. It seems to me that the claims exceed the entire COST (I'm not talking about profits) of gas exports to Europe.
              Is this export to Europe really necessary? And who will be able to replace 200 billion cubic meters of gas in order to switch to LNG? Well, perhaps NOVATEK ... will earn a little.
            2. +1
              4 August 2020 09: 45
              First, they won't

              The reasoning is off scale.

              Secondly, LNG from Russia is still cheaper.

              Cheaper. But the volumes are incomparable in comparison with pipeline gas.

              Thirdly, in principle, Europe will not want to freeze its ears.

              Let's imagine this scenario: Moscow cut off gas. In any case, this is a temporary step, to show your intentions. If it's summer time, Europe can easily survive several months. At the same time, Russia in any case will be forced to resume supplies. However, what we have as a result: howling from across the ocean, howling half of Europe's politicians that Russia is already an unreliable supplier and uses its monopoly position in the market as a lever of pressure. After that, a real search for alternative routes for gas delivery will become fundamental for Berlin. If now lobbying for such decisions comes more from Washington, then by creating a precedent for energy blackmail, Moscow will untie Europe's hands.
              1. +1
                4 August 2020 09: 50
                I gave the arguments. There is simply no such amount of LNG.
                That's right, pipeline volumes are incomparable with LNG volumes. This, incidentally, is the answer to the argumentation.
                The third point is the most interesting. Now there are no cries about Russia using its monopoly position? Yes, 90% of claims are related specifically to antimonopoly legislation. Six months is the period for which the SP-2 can be completed. And then forget about long-term and transit contracts. Gas should be exported to Europe only through the gas pipelines of the joint venture without intermediaries and straight to Germany. Who needs it - will buy it in Holland.
                And how will Russia "untie the hands of Europe"? And now Europe (Ukraine, Belarus, the Baltic states, Poland, Romania, Bulgaria, Turkey) have their hands tied by something?
                1. +1
                  4 August 2020 10: 16
                  Monopoly itself has nothing to do with it. I did not write about this, read carefully.

                  I gave the arguments.

                  No one.

                  Once again: creating a precedent for pressure through the supply of energy resources, especially when there is already a lot of talk about giving up Russian gas against the background of the redistribution of the European gas market, Russia will sign its own verdict. Now one of the last arguments of European politicians in a dispute with the opposition and overseas Brother is that Russia is a reliable supplier that has never failed. If Moscow dares to cut off the gas, Berlin will not swallow it. The Germans are characterized by adherence to principles. 10 years ago, they announced the abandonment of atomic energy and are systematically moving towards this goal, even though it costs them a lot of money. See how much energy renewable sources generate for them today. And this is hundreds of billions of injections.
                  1. +1
                    4 August 2020 10: 34
                    Europe will not switch to LNG, because there is simply no such amount of LNG in the world. Isn't that an argument?
                    You continue to insist that Russia retain its status of a "reliable gas supplier". The agreements imply that there must be at least a "reliable buyer of gas". And this, thanks to the efforts of Europe, is now simply not visible. If you propose to sell gas at a loss in the name of this very reliability, then I can't do anything about it.
                    Contracts are reviewed, terminated and renegotiated. In connection with the latest court decisions, Gazprom is simply obliged to review ALL long-term contracts and abandon them. That's all.
                    Strange logic. GazProm must maintain its reputation, while Europe does not need to. All this orgy is happening for one single reason - the lack of political will in the Kremlin.
                    1. +2
                      4 August 2020 11: 28
                      Nobody said that Europe, if something happens, will refuse Russian gas "tomorrow." This is a process that will take many years. LNG production volumes in the world are growing, and very quickly. Therefore, there is nothing unrealistic that the Europeans will start actively switching to liquefied gas, say, in 5-7 years - no.

                      Europe will not switch to LNG, because there is simply no such amount of LNG in the world. Isn't that an argument?

                      Not an argument. Russia exported 2018 billion cubic meters to Europe in 200. And in 2017, the total volume of LNG production in the world amounted to 323 billion cubic meters. I am sure that now this figure is much higher and will continue to grow. It's unavoidable.
                      1. +1
                        4 August 2020 11: 33
                        323 billion cubic meters per year for the WHOLE world. It's not that much. There is no extra 200 billion for Europe.
                        LNG plants in Australia are closing. Construction of LNG terminals in the United States has been frozen. Yes, it is possible that LNG will replace pipeline gas in the future. But we are talking about the current time and a lag of 6-12 months. Well, the cost. At the moment, the minimum cost of LNG is $ 70 per thousand cubic meters. This is without shipping and margin. The fact that it is now being sold in Europe for $ 70 per thousand is not forever. The average price today is $ 150.
                      2. +1
                        4 August 2020 11: 35
                        LNG plants in Australia are closing. Construction of LNG terminals in the United States has been frozen.

                        This is a temporary phenomenon. The demand has dropped.

                        But we are talking about the current time and a lag of 6-12 months.

                        When discussing energy and such large markets as the European one, it should be about a 5-10 year perspective. Minimum. What is 6-12 months in general? Who takes this into account ???
                      3. +1
                        4 August 2020 12: 17
                        It's strange. It is Gazprom that wants a long-term contract for 20 years. And Europe wants a spot contract. Not even for 6 months, but for a month. Don't you find this strange?
                        Demand has fallen and it is Europe that benefits from momentary benefits. They just don't think about the long term.
                      4. +2
                        4 August 2020 12: 36
                        Don't you find it strange?

                        What's so strange about a pandemic ???
                      5. +2
                        4 August 2020 12: 38
                        The pandemic has nothing to do with it. The rejection of long-term contracts and the Stockholm Arbitration were long before that.
                        But something else is interesting. Don't you find it strange that one of the parties refuses to execute the contract while maintaining the obligations of the other?
                      6. +2
                        4 August 2020 12: 42
                        Don't you find it strange that one of the parties refuses to execute the contract while maintaining the obligations of the other?

                        Of course, this is not normal. But Russia cannot do anything here. Poland projects the will and ideas of the United States, Berlin cannot and does not want to put pressure on Warsaw.
                      7. +2
                        4 August 2020 13: 08
                        That is why I am talking about the lack of will in the Kremlin. If one of the parties does not like the contract, then it must be canceled. And not to change some part. The Kremlin should completely abandon contractual obligations and cut off gas supplies to Europe. Deliver only under spot contracts with deliveries one month in advance. This is Europe's desire.
                        An exception for direct buyers like Germany who don't run to court with idiotic lawsuits.
  5. +2
    4 August 2020 08: 38
    Recently, looking at the statements of claim, I just want to ask: "When will these hicks calm down?" Beggars used to ask for money. Now they are demanding.
    1. 0
      5 August 2020 10: 21
      You rightly noted that the enemies found a "gold mine", for any reason with their courts to demand huge sums from GAZPROM and other Russian companies (for non-Russian such claims, as a rule, there are no such claims) .... Here GAZPROM lawyers for some unknown reason without sufficient opposition they agree and pay the required billions ... Why in response to the courts of the Russian Federation not to award claims to all these amateurs will benefit, but there are no such retaliatory courts ... There are enough reasons for claims - unreasonable prohibitions and delays in permits, obstacles to companies with incurring such actions of losses (for example, Poland can be sued for tens of billions to prohibit the laying of a gas pipeline through Poland and to oppose the activities of GAZPROM and other companies under SP-1 SP-2 only for political reasons, Bulgaria's claims against the prohibition of laying the South Stream gas pipelines, when today the pipeline branch) is allowed, etc. Here you need to demand tens of billions of dollars in damages, but there is a Only concessions and multi-billion dollar losses by the leadership of GAZPROM, who are only users of the state's natural resources, in fact, the wealth of all citizens of the Russian Federation ... !!!