The European Council decided on Monday that gas-related intergovernmental agreements between member states and third countries would be vetted by the Commission before they are signed, writes euractiv.com.

Meeting in Luxembourg, the energy ministers of the member states gave their green light to a deal which has been in preparation for more than a year, and which was triggered by the European Commission’s findings over the Gazprom-sponsored South Stream gas pipeline.

As early as December 2013, the executive found that the bilateral agreements for the construction of South Stream – concluded between Russia, Bulgaria, Serbia, Hungary, Greece, Slovenia, Croatia and Austria – are all in breach of EU law. South Stream was cancelled in December 2014

Member states’ energy deals with non-EU nations should be scrutinized by the European Commission before they are signed, according to a draft plan for the flagship Energy Union that outlines a strategy to diversify energy suppliers.

Now the European Commission will conduct an assessment of gas-related intergovernmental agreements before they are signed. In addition, member states shall keep the Commission informed both before the start and regularly during the negotiations of all agreements.

The agreement opens the door for the European Council to start negotiations with the European Parliament with a view to the final adoption of the proposal.