EUROPIPE given "Notice of Suspension" by South Stream Transport B.V.

EUROPIPE GmbH, a 50/50 joint venture of the Salzgitter Group and AG der Dillinger Hüttenwerke, received an instruction from Amsterdam-based South Stream Transport B.V. to halt the production of steel tubes for the South Stream pipeline through to January 1, 2015. This does not, however, mark the end to the pipeline project. Instead, further information is to be given to the company by the South Stream consortium over the period through to the expiry of this date.

Until suspension by the consortium the production and processing of the pipeline project had proceeded according to plan. The standstill customary for the public holidays over Christmas had in any case been factored into the plans.