EU bosses back total Russian gas ban
Energy Commissioner Dan Jorgensen unveiled the plan which would ban new gas contracts with Russia from 2026 and 'full phaseout' a year later, on Tuesday, after it was approved by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
The controversial legislation, which is opposed by Hungry, Austria and Slovakia, and reportedly by Italy, is expected to be proposed as trade law that does not require unanimity among bloc members to become law, the Financial Times has reported.
Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto called the plan 'absolute insanity,' warning it could fuel price hikes and undermine national sovereignty. Prime Minister Viktor Orban has vowed to block the move.
'Today, we have decided to close the tap on Russian gas,' Jorgensen said in Strasbourg, 'because the less energy we import from Russia, the more security and independence we will have in Europe.'
Jorgensen told reporters the phaseout was not linked to the Ukraine conflict but rather because 'Russia has weaponized energy' against the EU. He added: 'Irrespectively of whether there is a peace or not … this ban will still stand.'
The proposed regulation will now move through the EU's co-decision legislative process, requiring approval from both the European Parliament and the Council. Unlike sanctions, the proposal would not need unanimous backing from all member states – only a qualified majority in the Council, the Commission said, noting it would continue 'working closely' with governments most affected by the planned phaseout.
A reinforced majority means having the support of at least 15 of the EU's 27 member countries, representing at least 65% of the EU's population, according to Reuters.
'Nobody will be able to veto [the proposal],' Jorgensen said, as quoted by media outlets. He warned that those who do not implement the measures would face 'legal consequences as for any other EU legislation.'
While pipeline flows have dropped sharply since 2022, EU imports of Russian LNG have soared. Russia supplied 17.5% of the bloc's LNG in 2024, trailing only the US at 45.3%, according to industry data. France, Spain, and Belgium accounted for 85% of the EU's LNG imports from the sanctioned country, according to the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA).
Russia maintains that it is still a reliable supplier, while denouncing Western sanctions and trade restrictions targeting its exports as illegal under international law. The country has successfully shifted exports to 'friendly' markets, it added.
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