The EC to prepare an official accusation to Gazprom

After two years of preliminary investigation, the European Commission prepares official claims against Gazprom for violations of the antimonopoly legislation. The appearance of such document doesn’t only threaten the monopoly with penalties and a change of terms in contracts with European consumers in the future. It may strengthen the Brussels’ position during the negotiations on application of the Third Energy Package’s rules to Gazprom’s projects in Europe, which next round is scheduled for today, and help the Ukraine to organize alternative gas supplies.

The European Commission “has started to prepare the Statement of Objections” concerning Gazprom, the EU Commissioner on Issues of Competition, Joaquin Almunia stated yesterday. Thus, the antimonopoly investigations, which was begun in September of 2012 (and previously – in September of 2011 from the sudden searches of offices of a number of Gazprom’s subsidiaries and partners abroad) is going to the final stage.