On October 6—8, 2004, the seminar on «Vulnerabilities and Integrated Diagnostics Systems for Trunk Pipelines» in the EU, Russia and NIS was held in Ispra, Italy. The Seminar was organized by the European Commission.

The main objectives were to obtain an overview of the vulnerabilities (natural, anthropological) of the gas and oil pipeline infrastructures throughout the whole energy supply chain, both outside and inside the European Union; to prioritise and reduce these vulnerabilities and to improve crisis preparedness and management; to identify key aspects for future scientific and technological co-operation; to improve security of supplies etc.

The academics and researchers, ecologists and engineers, the representatives of oil and consulting companies from EU, Russia, Belarus, Ukraine, Kazakhstan and other CIS countries took part in the Seminar.

A Managing Partner of GRATA Law Firm, Mr. Aidar Sarymsakov, took active part in the event, too. He spoke on the legal provisions governing pipeline construction in Kazakhstan initiating the idea of adopting a unified rule on trunk pipelines. This act will be a structured, key rule defining and regulating all aspects of pipeline construction and operations.

On the whole, the participants of the Seminar came to the conclusion of necessary modernization of the existing and construction of new pipelines in the EU and in the NIS, in particular. This will reduce ecological, economic and as a consequence, political threats for the Eurasian continent, as a whole. To achieve this goal, efficient legal regulations of this process in the EU and the CIS must be elaborated. At present, there are no rules and standards regulating pipeline projects, construction and exploitation in these countries.

Also the participants agreed on organizing such seminars every year.