The EU will ban Russian gas pipelines and LNG by 2027, with emergency exceptions for Hungary and Slovakia.
Short-term contracts signed before June 2025 face phased bans starting April 2026 for LNG and June 2026 for pipeline gas.
Long-term LNG deals continue until January 2027, while pipeline contracts end in September 2027, possibly shifting to November depending on storage levels.
The EU accelerated energy diversification after Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, cutting reliance from 45% to 13% by mid-2025.
Some member states, including Belgium, France, and Spain, still received Russian LNG via transhipments despite overall reductions.
Political Disputes Over Landlocked States
Most EU countries support the ban to weaken Moscow’s war funding, but landlocked states cite higher energy prices.
Parliament initially opposed exceptions but conceded to Council agreements.
Hungary and Slovakia plan to challenge the law, claiming Brussels imposed a “fraudulent diktat” against EU treaties.
Leaders Viktor Orbán and Robert Fico maintain friendlier relations with the Kremlin than other EU heads.
The EU added a suspension clause, activated only if a member state declares an emergency with less than 90% gas storage by November 1.
Countries must prepare national diversification plans detailing how to end Russian gas and oil imports by March 2026.
Officials Declare Energy Independence
The EU also bans imports through the TurkStream pipeline, unless companies prove the gas only transited Russia or Belarus.
Commission President Ursula von der Leyen called the deal the start of full European energy independence from Russia.
She said stopping imports depletes Moscow’s war funds and opens new energy partnerships.
Energy Commissioner Dan Jørgensen vowed Europe will never return to Russian dependence or market manipulation.
Parliament lawmaker Thomas Pellerin-Carlin said the law protects jobs and prevents Russia from manipulating the energy market.
Energy ministers will vote on December 15, followed by a plenary parliamentary vote the same week.
