The members of the European Parliament have voted in a non-binding resolution calling for the cancellation of the €9.5bn Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline project between Russia and Germany, on grounds that it bypasses Ukraine and poses a threat to European energy security. However, the resolution has no power to stop the construction of the pipeline. Russia said calls for blocking the project were the result of lobbying.
As of December 2018, the 55 bcm/year project is at an advanced stage of construction and pipelaying is currently underway in both German and Finnish territorial waters, while it is under preparation in the Russian section.
Nord Stream 2 is developed by Gazprom (50%), Uniper, Shell, OMV, Wintershall and Engie (10% each) and will double the throughput of the current Nord Stream route between Vyborg (Russia) and Greifswald (Germany). The 1,230-km long pipeline received the planning approval for the construction and operation in January 2018 and is expected to flow first gas by the end of 2019.