Renewed tension between the United States and Europe because of Russia

Renewed tension between the United States and Europe because of Russia



WASHINGTON - AFP

The United States has raised anger in Europe partially endorsement bill imposes new sanctions against Russia. This tension and restores an image reminiscent of previous tensions over the idea of ​​global companies subject to US law.

What about the dispute centered?

The US Senate adopted almost unanimously Thursday new sanctions against Russia affecting basic infrastructure for Europe, such as pipeline gas, "Nord Stream 2," which is supposed to Russia, linking Germany via the Baltic Sea.

The text, which is still needed for approval in the House of Representatives and the endorsement of President Donald Trump on it, gives the president the authority to impose sanctions against people and companies that provide goods and services or technology "directly or significantly" contribute to the construction of Russian gas pipeline transport.

The sanctions target investments worth more than $ 1 million for each transaction, or a total of $ 5 million or more over one year.

Europe did not complain?

If the text of the sanctions turned into law, the sanctions affect a number of major European companies operating in the financing of the "Nord Stream 2," which is supposed to double the size of the flow of Russian gas to Germany by the year 2019.

Among the companies that are potentially affected sanctions French distribution company Angie, and German companies Aonneber (which Alinvsalt for ion) and Wintershall (BASF) and the Austrian OMV, the British-Dutch Shell. All of which contribute to the project, which is valued at 9.5 billion euros ($ 10.6 billion).

The authors of the text of the law does not hide their opposition to the gas pipeline project, which in turn criticized by European Council President Donald Tusk.

According to the text that the US government will continue to "oppose the gas pipeline Nord Stream 2 due to its adverse effect on energy security in the European Union and Washington" focus "on the export of American gas to create jobs for the labor market, the US, sparking the anger of France and Germany.

He told AFP Rory Makavarquar, a former aide to Barack Obama, "the reaction of the European violent reaction reflects skipping the" red line "the text of the sanctions.

He added that "the philosophy of the Obama administration was based on the grounds that the sanctions will be more effective if there was unity between the United States and Europe about the target and approach."

He Makavarquar, who is now an expert at the Peterson Institute for International Economics that "what is required is to respect the unity of the United States, the red lines, the most important that sanctions do not affect the energy supply of Europe.

The cause of the previous tensions?

It is not the first time caused by US law and the tendency of the United States to impose "ethics" on the business sector to quarrel with its allies on the opposite side of the Atlantic.

The US law to combat corrupt practices (FC BAE) issued in 1977 allowed the government to monitor suspicious financial transfers to companies around the world when these companies are listed in the US markets and the transfers within the US financial system.

In 2008 the company "Siemens" was forced to pay $ 800 million after the approval of guilt in the case of bribing officials, particularly in Argentina and Venezuela.

In 2014 the French company Alstom paid a fine of $ 727 million because of bribes in Indonesia, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the Bahamas.

But the most prominent conflict in the trans-Atlantic trade has nothing to do with the law of "FC BAE", but the violation of the sanctions.

In 2014, "BNP Paribas" Bank was forced to pay $ 8.9 billion to settle the dispute relating to the violation of sanctions through the exercise of banking activities in Sudan, Cuba and Iran.

And several French companies expressed their anger and came together to criticize it "abuse of power" by the United States.

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