France has called on its neighbor to stop the construction of the controversial project.
European Affairs minister Clement Beaune said:
- We have always said we have the greatest doubts on this project in this contex.
- Indeed, we have already said that France wanted Berlin to stop the project.
- the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline must not increase Europe’s reliance on Russian gas supplies.
The French energy company Engie is also one of the sponsors of the billion-dollar project.
Beside French Engie, Gazprom’s EU-partners in the gas pipeline project are German Uniper and Wintershall, Austrian OMV and British-Dutch Shell.
In 2017, Nord Stream 2 AG signed agreements with the above mentioned companies to provide financing for 50 % of the total cost of the project.
France is Europe’s 2nd largest consumer of energy after Germany.
The country has very limited fossil-energy resources and imports most of its oil, gas and all of its coal.
Engie remains the dominant player in the natural gas market, importing the bulk of the France’s gas needs, mainly from Norway, Russia, Algeria and Nigeria.
Germany was the largest energy consumer in Europe and the 7th-largest energy consumer in the world in 2019.
The country relies heavily on imports to meet most of its energy demand.
In 2019, energy imports accounted for 71% of the German energy supply.
The US Adminstration criticise Germany's decision to built the pipeline, saying it will make Germany «totally dependent» on Russia.
Washington would prefer Germany import LNG from America instead.
