Dispute with Gazprom over billions goes to arbitration

“EuroPol Gaz has filed a lawsuit against Gazprom for the return of about 850 million outstanding debts for gas transmission,” Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State Assets Jacek Sasin said. The lawsuit also includes lost profits by EuRoPol Gaz until 2045, which are estimated at more than PLN 5 billion.

“According to the document obtained by the Polish Press Agency, the arbitration proceedings will be conducted before the Arbitration Institute of the Stockholm Chamber of Commerce,” PAP has reported. “The document claims that that EuRoPol Gaz found that Gazprom has violated the Tripartite Agreement of 2010, which provided for, among others, the cancellation of the PLN 848 million debt owed by Gazprom to the owner of the Polish section of the Yamal gas pipeline for gas transmission fees in the years 2006-2009. In addition, Europol Gaz has calculated the revenues lost due to gas transmission charges until 2045 at almost PLN 5.357 billion,” the PAP articles continued.

“The document indicates that at the end of April EuRoPol Gaz asked Gazprom to pay more than PLN 848 million, including interest, and PLN 5.357 billion, and since it the claims have not been settled voluntarily, on the 9th of May 2023 it took the Russian company to the Chamber of Comerce in Stockholm to hold an arbitration procedure,” PAP wrote.

EuRoPol Gaz owns the Polish section of the Yamal gas pipeline with PGNiG and Gazprom each holding 48 percent and PGNiG’s Gas Trading holding 4 percent. Decisions are made by consensus. The company is under a compulsory trusteeship of the government of the Republic of Poland for reasons related to energy security during the energy crisis and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The Yamal contract was terminated by Gazprom in the spring of 2022 and is also the subject of arbitration proceedings involving PGNiG.

Polish Press Agency / Wojciech Jakóbik