Šefčovič gives his blessing to Southern Gas Corridor

European Commission's Vice-President for Energy Union Maroš Šefčovič attended the first founding meeting of the Advisory Council on the Southern Gas Corridor in Baku on 11 February 2015, a project to bring gas from Azerbaijan to Europe by 2019-2020.

Ministers from transit countries, including Georgia, Turkey, Greece, Italy, Albania and Bulgaria also participated in the meeting hosted by the President of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliev, as well as representatives from the planned TANAP pipeline via Turkey, and the TAP (Trans-Adriatic) pipeline via Greece and Albania.

On 17 March 2015, Turkey and Azerbaijan formally began the construction of the TANAP gas pipeline, which was set to pump gas in the future from the vast Azerbaijani Shah Deniz 2 field to Turkish and EU consumers. The TANAP project is part of the South Gas Corridor.

• Primary Source

ESO: Background information: Germany calls Azerbaijan ‘an increasingly important partner’ http://www.europeansources.info/record/germany-calls-azerbaijan-an-increasingly-important-partner/

ESO: Background information: First meeting of the Central East South Europe Gas Connectivity (CESEC) High Level Group http://www.europeansources.info/record/statement-joint-press-statement-by-ministers-and-representatives-of-austria-bulgaria-croatia-greece-hungary-italy-romania-slovenia-and-slovakia-and-the-european-commission/

EurActiv, 06.03.15: Russia can use Trans-Adriatic pipeline, Commission confirms http://www.euractiv.com/sections/energy/russia-can-use-trans-adriatic-pipeline-commission-confirms-312688

EurActiv, 17.03.15: Turkey and Azerbaijan begin construction of TANAP pipeline http://www.euractiv.com/sections/energy/turkey-and-azerbaijan-begin-construction-tanap-pipeline-312964

EurActiv, 09.04.15: TAP pipeline open to other shareholders, including Iran http://www.euractiv.com/sections/energy/tap-pipeline-open-other-shareholders-including-iran-313641

EurActiv, 26.05.15: SOCAR: It is impossible to stop the Southern Gas Corridor http://www.euractiv.com/sections/energy/socar-it-impossible-stop-Southern-Gas-Corridor-314810

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