EU commissioner warns on Russia relations

Europe remains vulnerable in terms of energy security, European energy commissioner Gunther Oettinger said.

There can no longer be "business as usual" with Russia after the Ukraine crisis. "We are still vulnerable in Europe," Oettinger told a meeting of EU energy ministers in Luxembourg. "We have to do everything we can to reduce our dependency.

"We cannot have business as usual. We cannot just bow to the Russians every time."

Oettinger was speaking before ministers discussed the European Commission's strategy document on energy security. EU leaders will also discuss short-term measures to boost energy security during winter 2014-15, at a summit on 26-27 June. EU leaders will discuss longer-term measures at a further summit in October, Oettinger said.

The South Stream gas pipeline project led by Russian state-controlled Gazprom, it is unacceptable for some countries to overlook EU competition and energy rules, Oettinger said. Bulgaria on 9 June ordered contractors to stop work on the Bulgarian section of the pipeline after the European Commission requested a halt to construction during investigations into the tender process.

Oettinger also criticised the Russian actions in the World Trade Organisation (WTO) against the EU's third energy market package as a "major attack". The action and the Ukraine crisis have slowed down progress on South Stream and approval of the Opal link to Gazprom's Nord Stream pipeline. "Our Russian partners know all about our legislation. Legally speaking, they know it better than some member states but they just do not accept it," Oettinger said.

dai/wj

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