EU Advances Proposal to Phase Out Russian Gas, Oil Imports by 2027
(MENAFN) The European Commission put forward a sweeping legislative proposal on Tuesday aiming to completely phase out Russian natural gas and oil imports into the European Union by the end of 2027. This initiative forms a key pillar of the Commission’s broader REPowerEU Roadmap designed to boost energy independence.
Under the draft regulation, new contracts for Russian gas will be prohibited starting January 1, 2026, while all existing short-term contracts must be terminated by June 17, 2026. Meanwhile, long-term agreements for pipeline gas and liquefied natural gas (LNG) supplied by Russia would only be allowed to continue through the end of 2027, after which they must cease.
To ensure a coordinated transition, each EU member state will be obligated to submit detailed diversification strategies outlining specific actions and timelines for progressively eliminating reliance on Russian gas and oil, according to the Commission’s press release. Additionally, member states will need to provide regular updates on Russian gas volumes and contractual commitments—including LNG imports—to improve transparency and facilitate enforcement of the ban.
The plan also targets Russian oil imports, setting a 2027 deadline for a full phase-out. Despite Russian oil’s share in EU imports plummeting from 27 percent in early 2022 to just 3 percent in 2024, the Commission emphasized that a complete end is essential to remove lingering risks.
Before becoming law, the regulation must be approved by the European Parliament and the Council of the EU, with a qualified majority required for adoption. This decisive move signals the EU’s intensifying push to reduce its energy dependency on Russia amid ongoing geopolitical tensions.
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