An appeal in Poland approved the cancellation of the fine to Gazprom for Nord Stream 2

The Court of Appeal in Poland approved the decision of the trial court to cancel fines for companies participating in the construction of Nord Stream 2, including “Gazprom” About it reports Puls Biznesu newspaper.

The appeal was previously filed by the Chairman of the Office for Competition and Consumer Protection (UOKiK) Tomasz Chrostny. The newspaper notes that after the appeal was rejected, the regulator demanded that “Gazprom“and other companies that built the gas pipeline paid a fine is not legally binding.

canceled fines for Gazprom and five other companies that participated in the construction of Nord Stream 2.

UOKiK initiated an investigation into the companies in 2018. As a result, the regulator filed charges of violating Polish antitrust laws. According to management, “”Gazprom“Without prior consent, Uokik concluded a deal with other companies that could lead to restricting competition.

In 2020, the regulator imposed a total fine on five European companies – structures of the OMV, Wintershall Dea, Engie, Shell and Uniper groups – in the amount of 385 million zlotys (about $90.7 million at the current exchange rate), and on Gazprom – in the amount 29 billion zlotys (about $6.8 billion). For failure to provide previously requested information as part of the investigation, Gazprom in July of the same year received from UOKiK an official notice of a fine of about 50 million euros. The Russian company challenged these decisions in court.

Nord Stream 2 consists of two branches with a capacity of 55 billion cubic meters. m of gas per year and runs through the Baltic Sea to Germany. Nord Stream 1 was also launched in 2012. In September 2022, gas pipelines were damaged as a result of sabotage. Only one of the Nord Stream 2 lines has survived, but it is not used for gas supplies, since Germany did not allow the pipeline to be put into operation after its completion.