“TAP already has an exemption pursuant to Article 36 Gas Directive, and would, hence, not be affected by this legal change. Other potential new pipeline projects, e.g. from Russia to Bulgaria, or in the Mediterranean, would be covered by the proposal and thus subject to the requirements set out in the Gas Directive,” said the message.

EU diversification strategy develops around priorities such as the implementation of the Southern Gas Corridor, the development of a liquid gas hub in the Mediterranean and through promoting access to Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) and gas storage for which the Commission adopted a strategy in February 2016, according to the European Commission.

The Legal Services of the European Commission and of the Council have recently concluded that the Gas Directive (Directive 2009/73/EC) does not set out a comprehensive framework for gas pipelines to and from third countries. This lack of a regulatory framework on the EU' territory is detrimental to the functioning of the internal energy market and the security of supply in the Union. The present proposal will establish the applicability of the Gas Directive to gas pipelines to and from third countries and thereby provide legal certainty for all stakeholders.

The aim of the amendment is to complete the existing Gas Directive (2009/73/EC) and clarify that the core principles of EU energy legislation will apply to all gas pipelines to and from third countries up to the border of the EU's jurisdiction. This will ensure that all major pipelines entering the EU territory comply with EU rules, are operated under the same degree of transparency, are accessible to other operators and are operated efficiently.

TAP is a part of the Southern Gas Corridor which is one of the priority energy projects for the EU.

TAP project envisages transportation of gas from the Stage 2 of development of Azerbaijan's Shah Deniz gas and condensate field to the EU countries.

The pipeline will be connected to the Trans-Anatolian Pipeline (TANAP) on the Turkish-Greek border, run through Greece, Albania and the Adriatic Sea, before coming ashore in Italy's south.

TAP’s shareholders are: BP (20 percent), State Oil Company of Azerbaijan (20 percent), Snam (20 percent), Fluxys (19 percent), Enagas (16 percent) and Axpo (5 percent).

TAP will be 878 kilometers in length (Greece 550 km, Albania 215 km, Adriatic Sea 105 km, and Italy 8 km). Its highest point will be 1,800 meters in Albania’s mountains, while its lowest point will be 820 meters beneath the sea.

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