The EU plans to cut all reliance on Russian gas and LNG by late 2026 and mid-2027.
Lawmakers set clear end dates for Russian energy imports while allowing Hungary and Slovakia emergency access if supplies fail.
Rules state that short-term contracts signed before June 2025 must end in April or June 2026, depending on the fuel type.
Long-term LNG contracts can run until January 2027, and long-term pipeline deals face a ban from September 2027.
Authorities may extend the pipeline deadline to November 2027 if storage levels remain low.
Member states continue to pursue alternative suppliers after Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine destabilised energy markets.
EU figures show dependence on Russian gas dropping from 45% before the invasion to 13% in early 2025.
Belgium, France, and Spain still received Russian LNG through transhipments despite the decline in imports.
Law Faces Resistance from Hungary and Slovakia
Most EU nations support the ban to limit Moscow’s war funding, but landlocked states raised supply concerns.
These countries warned that higher energy costs could harm competitiveness within the bloc.
Parliament opposed exemptions but eventually accepted them to secure an agreement with the Council.
Denmark’s climate minister praised the swift deal as a step toward stronger energy security.
Hungary and Slovakia now plan to challenge the law after its adoption.
Hungary’s foreign minister criticised the decision as unacceptable and incompatible with EU treaties.
Leaders Viktor Orbán and Robert Fico have consistently shown more sympathy toward Russia than other EU heads.
Emergency Clause and Future Energy Strategy
Lawmakers added a suspension clause to reassure landlocked states facing supply disruptions.
The Commission can trigger this clause only if a member state declares an emergency under EU gas security rules.
A state may do so when its reserves fall below 90% by 1 November in any year.
All EU members must draft national diversification plans to phase out Russian oil and gas by March 2026.
The new rules also prohibit imports through the Turkstream pipeline unless companies prove the gas originated outside Russia or Belarus.
EU officials hailed the agreement as the end of Europe’s dependence on Moscow.
Leaders stressed that the bloc will not return to unstable supplies, market manipulation, or energy coercion.
Lawmakers argued the legislation will protect European jobs and prevent further market disruption.
Energy ministers will vote on the final text on 15 December, followed by a plenary vote in Parliament.
