Today, within the framework of regular consultations between the companies, a meeting of Alexey Miller, Chairman of the Gazprom Management Committee, Dr. Wulf Bernotat, Chairman of the Board of Management of E.ON AG and Dr. Burckhard Bergmann, Chairman of the Executive Board of E.ON Ruhrgas AG.

The parties envisaged current issues on cooperation in the framework of draft Nord Stream pipeline construction and exploitation. The meeting paid special attention to the prospects of joint projects implementation on the European energy market.

Reference:

The German company E.ON AG is the largest privately-held power generation & gas Concern. E.ON Ruhrgas AG (Ruhrgas AG, before July 1, 2004) has been part of the E.ON AG Concern since February 2003 and has overseen the Group’s gas business in Europe, including production, marketing, transmission and storage.

Owning a 6.5% stake in Gazprom, E.ON Ruhrgas AG is its largest foreign shareholder.

Cooperation between Gazprom and E.ON Ruhrgas AG began in early 70ies. Ruhrgas became one of the first largest buyers of Russian gas in Western Europe.

In 2000 (Berlin) and 2002 (Moscow), Gazprom and Ruhrgas AG signed the Memoranda of understanding.

On July 8, 2004, Gazprom and E.ON AG sealed the Memorandum of understanding that fixed agreements to further deepen successful cooperation when implementing both companies’ strategic projects. In addition to the traditional gas supply business, the parties started implementing joint gas extraction, transmission & marketing and power generation projects.

On September 8, 2005 Gazprom, E.ON AG, BASF AG signed the principle Agreement on Nord Stream construction (before named as North-European Pipeline) with the route from Russia to Germany via the Baltic Sea offshore area.

Nord Stream AG (before named as North-European Gas Pipeline Company) was established in December 2005 aimed at feasibility study preparation and gas main construction. Gazprom owns 51 per cent stake in Nord Stream AG, and E.ON AG and BASF AG each have 24.5 per cent.

On July 12, 2006 Gazprom and E.ON AG signed the framework Agreement on assets exchange in gas production, natural gas marketing and power generation.