Azerbaijan, Baku, Sept. 28 / Trend A.Badalova /
The European Commission welcomed a political agreement on Trans Adriatic Pipeline, which was signed by Italy, Greece and Albania.
"This is another important step towards our aim to get gas directly from the Caspian Region," EU Energy Commissioner Günther Oettinger said in a statement, published on the EU official website.
The governments of Italy, Greece and Albania confirmed their political support for the Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) project by signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) yesterday evening.
TAP's initial pipeline capacity will be 10 billion cubic metres per year, expandable to 20 billion cubic metres per year. TAP's shareholders are EGL of Switzerland (42.5 percent), Norway's Statoil (42.5 percent) and E.ON Ruhrgas of Germany (15 percent).
Earlier this year Shah Deniz consortium made TAP a priority route for export of Azerbaijani gas to Italy.
Currently, the Shah Deniz consortium considers two options to deliver its gas to Europe -TAP and Nabucco West. The final decision on a pipeline route will be made in 2013.