EU to end Russian gas imports by 2027 under new legal plan

The European Commission is preparing to propose a legal ban on Russian gas and liquefied natural gas (LNG) imports into the EU by the end of 2027, in a move to cement its post-Ukraine war energy shift away from Moscow.

A draft of the plan, seen by Reuters on Tuesday, outlines a phased approach that would ban new short-term Russian gas contracts from January 2026, with existing long-term contracts to be terminated by January 2028.

The proposal also includes a gradual prohibition on EU LNG terminals providing services to Russian entities and requires companies to disclose contract details to EU and national authorities.

To bypass opposition from Hungary and Slovakia—both reliant on Russian pipeline gas and opposed to sanctions—the Commission will use legal mechanisms that do not require unanimous approval from member states.

The proposed legal framework is designed to allow companies to invoke force majeure to exit Russian contracts without facing penalties, EU energy commissioner Dan Jorgensen said on Monday.

Russian gas accounted for around 45 per cent of EU supply before 2022 but has since dropped to 19 per cent. Countries including Belgium, France, the Netherlands, and Spain continue to import Russian LNG.

France’s industry minister Marc Ferracci expressed conditional support for the proposal, stressing the need for legal certainty for affected companies.

Attribution: Reuters

Subediting: Y.Yasser

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