Events
The Eastring pipeline was confirmed as the EU’s Project of Common Interest
5 December 2017, Bratislava
The Eastring pipeline project repeatedly obtained the status of the Project of Common Interest (PCI) for the European Union. The Project was enlisted in the 3rd list of PCIs which European Commission published in November.
European Projects of Common Interest are key infrastructure projects aimed at achieving EU’s energy policy and climate objectives. Eastring is the project of bi-directional gas pipeline interconnector between Slovakia and the external border of the EU on the territory of Bulgaria. It will offer direct and most cost-effective transmission route between West EU liquid hubs and the Balkan region/Turkey – an area with a potential to be a highly liquid region offering gas from various sources. Eastring has obtained the PCI status for the first time in November 2015 (2nd PCI list).
At the beginning of 2017 the European Commission approved the financial support for the Eastring project by funding its feasibility study under the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF). The main purpose of the Feasibility Study, which will be completed in June 2018, is to define all necessary technical, economical, financial and environmental details of the future pipeline including optimal routing as well as to carry on the in-depth market testing.
Hungary and Slovakia signed MoU on Eastring 30 October 2017, Kosice
Slovak Economy Minister Peter Žiga and Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs Péter Szijjártó signed the Memorandum of Understanding on project Eastring. The document was signed in the presence of Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico in Košice.
The Parties of the Memorandum articulated their support to the gas transmission project Eastring and to the concept of Southern Pipeline Corridor, in accordance with the EU legislation.
Eustream’s project Eastring is the EU’s Project of Common Interest (PCI). It can provide shippers with possibility to supply Balkan countries and Turkey from European hubs and will be ready for future gas imports to Europe from well-established and also alternative sources - the Caspian region and the Middle East. Eastring can secure natural gas supply for 100 percent of all Balkan countries` natural gas consumption. The European Commission has awarded the support for the Eastring project by funding the feasibility study under the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) mechanism up to 50 percent of the eligible costs.