The European Union reached a provisional deal on Wednesday on new rules governing import gas pipelines including Russia’s planned Nord Stream 2, in a move that cast doubts over the project’s current operating plan. Representatives of the European Commission, the European Parliament and of the 28 member states reached a deal, which should lead to a new law in the coming months. EU countries would then have nine months to transpose into national law. EU Commissioner Arias Canete, responsible for energy, said that Europe was closing a loophole in its laws as its dependency on natural gas imports increases. “The new rules ensure that EU law will be applied to pipelines bringing […]