The European Commission has presented a draft law that would end imports of Russian gas into the European Union by the end of 2027. Banning imports through legislation, rather than sanctions, would allow the EU to circumvent a potential veto by Hungary or Slovakia, Belga reported.
The law would prohibit member states from concluding new contracts to import Russian gas starting in January 2026. Imports under existing short-term contracts would have to stop by mid-June 2026, while imports under long-term contracts would have to stop by the end of 2027.
The Commission wants to grant an exemption for gas imports via pipeline to landlocked countries until the end of 2027. The exemption is intended for member states such as Hungary and Slovakia, which still import significant amounts of Russian gas and have already expressed their opposition to the phasing out.
However, unlike sanctions against Russia, the opposing countries will not be able to veto the phasing out. While the ban is presented as a law, the support of a qualified majority of member states is sufficient. Member states that refuse to implement the law will face legal consequences, said EU Energy Commissioner Dan Jorgensen.
Jorgensen said the EU would do everything it could to help them mitigate the negative impact that some countries had predicted. Analysis showed that the transition could be achieved without raising prices or compromising security of supply, he said.
Jorgensen also said that companies would not have to bear the costs of terminating contracts with Russian suppliers. Since imports would be banned by law, companies would be able to invoke force majeure, he explained.
The draft law also covers imports of Russian oil, but not nuclear energy. The Commission said it needed more time to adopt the law banning nuclear energy.
Belgian MEP Bruno Toback (S&D) said he believed that cutting off Russian gas supplies was a positive step.
“However, banning new contracts only makes sense if the Commission also provides real alternatives. Replacing Russian oligarchs with American or Qatari ones is not a step forward, he said. That is why, in his opinion, the EU must accelerate its transition to sustainable energy,” Toback said.
