Towards a Baltic Sea Region Strategy in Critical ... - Helsinki.fi

CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE PROTECTION IN THE BALTIC SEA REGION
Figure V—1 TEN-E priority axes. (Commission 2005c)
The NEGP is planned along one of the priority axes of the Trans-European Gas
Networks, the axis ‘Natural Gas 1’ (NG1). This axis leads to the United Kingdom
via Northern Continental Europe with connections to Baltic Sea states and to
Russia (see Figure 1). Thus, the NEGP constitutes the Baltic offshore part of the
NG1-priority axis 111 .
111 Although NEGP adheres the EU strategy, there are other possible route options for Trans-
European Gas Network axis NG 1. Some states, such as Poland and Lithuania, regard an on-shore
pipeline as the ecologically and economically soundest solution. However, Nord Stream fosters the
implementation of an offshore pipeline that directly connects Russia to Western Europe for
economic and security reasons.
168 NORDREGIO REPORT 2007:5