the government and the Bundestag does not want to accept the American sanction threats against the new Baltic sea pipeline Nord Stream, 2 without resistance. In front of the economic Committee of the state criticized on Wednesday a Minister in the foreign office Niels Annen, the American bill as “a serious intervention in the German and European sovereignty in energy policy.”

Christian Geinitz

economic correspondent in Berlin

F. A. Z.

It was “absurd” that the legislature in Washington wool occur as a Regulator of European issues. “We want to counter the common EU interest and in the interest of the transatlantic partnership,” said Annen. How, exactly, the resistance should look like, he left it open, however. The Federal government remains committed to negotiations with the United States, “sanctions are the wrong way to go”.

“Single action”

it had Previously welcomed from the EU-Commission, to prepare to fend off a “greater sanction mechanism”. Something similar in mind to the former Federal Chancellor Gerhard Schröder (SPD), who was heard as an expert in the economic Committee. He spoke of “conceivable painful backlash” in Europe, the increasing politicization of the economy to fend off questions by the Americans.

Schröder is the Rosneft Board of Directors, Chairman at Nord Stream 2 and also Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Nord Stream AG and the Russian oil company, has a personal interest in ensuring that the natural gas connection is established. The tube line is completed, for the most part, however, the Work to rest since the threat of American sanctions against the involved installation companies. A in June in both houses of Congress introduced new design is to tighten the existing sanction of the law of December and on other companies and possibly government Agencies to expand.

The Secretary of state in the Federal Ministry for economic Affairs Thomas Bareiß, criticized the planned expansion as a “unique approach”. The sanctions could prevent Nord Stream 2 “on duration”. To counteract this, from the voice of the government with other EU member States and the Commission. Since the American novel to come out of the Congress, was also invited to the Bundestag, to relate to the sanction of the law position.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said in the Bundestag, which is now in the American Congress debated sanctions are extraterritorial and do not correspond to the German understanding of the law. “We believe, however, that it is right to make this project finished and in this sense we act.”