reported Bloomberg. “If regulators want to use all the time allotted for the project, it can be approved no earlier than May 8, 2022”, the agency said. Earlier, Russian officials said that the Nord Stream-2 gas pipeline supply could begin “the next day” after the project is approved. It is noted that the Federal Network Agency of Germany must issue a draft decision on certification by January 8, after which it will be submitted to the European Commission. Experts have to assess whether the pipeline complies with EU market rules, which prohibit one company from being both the owner of the pipeline and the supplier of gas.