The Polish judiciary on Monday upheld the annulment of economic sanctions imposed on Russian energy company Gazprom and five other companies for the construction and operation of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline.
However, the Office of Competition and Consumer Protection (UOKiK) acknowledged being «surprised» by the court decision, which they say they will appeal, according to the Polish agency PAP.
«In the oral ruling of the Tribunal, the entities involved in the creation of Nord Stream 2 did not create a new joint venture and it is beyond the competence of the Office to assess the effects caused to the economy,» said UOKiK president Tomasz Chrostny.
UOKiK fined Russia’s Gazprom 29 billion zloty (6.5 billion euros) in October 2020 for building the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline without authorization. The regulator decided to fine five other companies – Austria’s OMV, France’s Engie, Anglo-Dutch Shell, Germany’s Wintershell and Germany’s Uniper.
The regulator accused the companies of having continued with the construction and implementation of the pipeline without having the «green light» to form a joint venture.
