Why in the News?

Poland announced its long-awaited entry into the NATO Pipeline System (NPS) — a strategic move coming 25 years after joining NATO.

About the NATO Pipeline System (NPS):

Origin: 1950s, Cold War-era logistics backbone, upgraded over decades.
Purpose: Ensures continuous supply of aviation fuel, diesel, kerosene & lubricants to NATO forces.
Scale: ~10,000 km network across 12 NATO countries; storage ≈ 4.1 million m³.
Structure: Connects refineries, depots, airbases, airports & pumping stations.
Funding & Oversight: Through NATO Security Investment Programme (NSIP); managed by NATO Support & Procurement Agency (NSPA) under the NATO Petroleum Committee.
Member Countries: Belgium, France, Germany, Luxembourg, Netherlands, UK, Italy, Greece, Portugal, Turkey, Norway and Denmark; Poland will become the 13th member after integration.
Main System: Central Europe Pipeline System (CEPS) – 5,300 km, est. 1958; moves ≈ 12 million m³ fuel/yr.
Other Networks: North European, Turkish, Greek, Portuguese, Italian, Norwegian & Danish systems.

[UPSC 2025] Consider the following countries:

I. Austria II. Bulgaria III. Croatia IV. Serbia V. Sweden VI. North Macedonia.

How many of the above are members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization?

(a) Only three (b) Only four* (c) Only five (d) All the six