In 2013, the construction of the EastMed pipeline was designated under
European Commission Regulation 347/2013 as a
Project of Common Interest and during the 2015-2018 period the Commission contributed more than €34.5 million (US$38.9 million) to complete technical, economic and environmental studies for the project. The
Energy Triangle of Greece, Cyprus, and Israel signed an intergovernmental agreement for the EastMed gas pipeline in Tel Aviv on 20 March 2019 in the presence of
United States Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, in a sign of support from Washington for the project. American interest on the pipeline is explained by Washington's demand that its European partners maintain a diversification policy of their energy imports. The pipeline will diversify European gas supplies and lessen dependence on
Russian Natural Gas. In April 2019, the
European Commission labeled the EastMed pipeline as a
Project of Common Interest, having contributed €34.5 million (US$38.9 million) to complete technical studies for the project. However, on 1 January 2020, it was reported that the
Italian Minister of Economic Development Stefano Patuanelli had sent to his Greek counterpart a letter of support for the EastMed pipeline, thus reinstating the backing of
Italy for the project. On 2 January 2020, the accord to construct the pipeline was signed in Athens by the leaders of Greece, Cyprus, and Israel. The Israeli government approved the accord on 19 July 2020, allowing the project to move forward. U.S. House of Representatives members
Gus Bilirakis (R-Florida) and
Nicole Malliotakis (R-New York) have questioned the Biden administration's reversal on the project in view of
Europe's deepening dependency on Russian gas. ==Route==