The Nord Stream 2 project has become a thorny issue. If implemented, the agreement between Gazprom and a consortium of European companies will double the capacity of the Nord Stream pipeline, increasing the share of Russian gas in Germany from 40 to 60 per cent. This has generated a lot of discussion across Europe, as the project would by-pass Central and Eastern European countries and possibly divert gas flows away from Ukraine.

At this Policy Dialogue, a group of experts from across the board discussed the energy security, economic and legal concerns related to the project, and its geopolitical implications. The project’s alignment with the objectives of the EU’s Energy Union was also scrutinized: to what extent would it support the EU’s drive for greater energy security and commitments to mitigate climate change? What legal issues does the project raise under public international law and EU law, including the EU’s Third Energy Package? And with the ongoing war in Ukraine, what political messages does the project send to Ukraine and Russia?