In the midst of the Russian gas crisis, will France reopen the doors of dialogue with Germany and Spain over the MidCat gas pipeline project? On Tuesday 30 August, Bruno Le Maire, Minister of Economy, seemed ready to do so by declaring, in Paris, on the sidelines of the Medef meeting: Spain and Germany are very close partners of France. So when they make a suggestion, we’ll look into it. »
Is this a change in France’s position so far on the brakes on this €3 billion project? Not sure. When asked for more details, the Percy and Prime Minister’s governments returned West of France in the Transitional Ministry of Energy. Where, on August 31, the entourage of Agnès Pannier-Runacher, France has held steady on this file for months: MidCat is too costly for an investment dedicated to fossil energy that Europe intends to dispense with by 2050 in order to achieve carbon neutrality. and call Dialogue between concerned member states to take into account “Both issues of European solidarity, which are fundamental, but also our climate goals.”
Spain and Germany increase pressure on France
This assertion of France’s position should not help the strained exchanges on the issue with Spain, Germany, Portugal and the European Commission, all of which are largely in favor of MidCat.
On the same Tuesday, August 30, Spanish Prime Minister, Social Democrat Pedro Sanchez, was in Germany with Chancellor Olaf Schulz, on the same side, to talk about energy. Without criticizing Paris, both advocated the construction of the famous gas pipeline. Olaf Schultz…
