Plans for the construction of a cross-border gas pipeline between Spain and France, the so-called. midcat (Midi Catalonia), are once again coming to the fore against the background of the war in Ukraine, as noted in an article by the Greek service of Deutsche Welle.

Spain’s proposal to build the gas pipeline in question dates back to 2013. This is a 190 km pipeline from the north of Barcelona to the Carcassonne region in the southeast of France, through which liquefied natural gas can be transported to Central Europe from Algeria, Qatar or their USA.

The prospect of building this gas pipeline, despite the energy situation in Europe that has changed in recent months, is causing political tension and controversy.

On one side is the Berlin-Madrid-Lisbon axis, which wants the pipeline to be realized (an opinion supported by the Commission), and on the other side is the President of France. Emmanuel Macron who oppose.

Answering a relevant question during a recent press conference, the French President stressed that “the need for such an infrastructure is not obvious.” “I don’t understand why we should be celebrating, thinking that in this way we will solve our energy problem, when it is not right,” the French leader continued.

Environmental concerns, concerns about a possible mobilization (like the one that took place in 2018 at the initiative of the Friends of the Earth – Les amis de la Terre), the high cost of the pipeline and the time required for its implementation are among their arguments against the French side. At the same time, as the Jacques Delors Institute notes, Spain and France are already connected in the Eastern Pyrenees by pipelines, which, however, “do not cover their maximum potential.”

Source: Deutsche Welle.