EU prepares to ban Russian gas imports by end of 2027

The European Commission is preparing to propose a legal ban on Russian natural gas and liquefied natural gas (LNG) imports into the EU, aiming to implement the measure by the end of 2027.

The proposal, expected to be unveiled on June 18, is designed to legally enshrine the bloc’s commitment to end energy dependence on Russia following its 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine — and to prevent individual member states such as Hungary and Slovakia from vetoing the move, Caliber.Az reports, citing foreign media.

According to an internal draft of the proposal seen by Reuters, the plan would establish a legal ban on Russian pipeline gas and LNG imports starting January 1, 2026. However, short-term contracts concluded before June 17, 2025, would be allowed a transitional phase, expiring on June 17, 2026. Long-term contracts would be banned starting January 1, 2028, effectively cutting off Russian gas supplies to the EU from that date.

Major European energy companies, including France’s TotalEnergies and Spain’s Naturgy, currently have LNG agreements with Russia that extend into the 2030s. The upcoming rules would also gradually restrict Russian access to EU LNG terminals. Furthermore, companies bringing in Russian gas would be obligated to report their contract terms to both national and EU regulators.

While the details of the proposal may still be revised before publication, EU Energy Commissioner Dan Jørgensen emphasised that the legal framework is being designed to be strong enough to allow companies to invoke "force majeure" — an unforeseeable circumstance — to exit their contracts without facing legal consequences.

“Since this will be a prohibition, a ban, the companies will not get into legal problems. This is force majeure, as it [would be] if it had been a sanction,” Jørgensen explained to reporters on June 17.

Some member states, notably Hungary and Slovakia — both of which continue to import Russian gas via pipelines and maintain close ties with Moscow — have opposed earlier attempts to impose sanctions on Russian energy, citing concerns over higher prices and energy security. Because sanctions require unanimous consent among all 27 EU countries, these two nations have previously blocked energy-related measures.

To bypass a potential veto, the Commission is using a different legal basis that allows the decision to pass with a reinforced qualified majority in the European Council, along with majority support in the European Parliament, according to EU officials.

Although a majority of member states support the proposed ban, some importing countries remain concerned about potential legal and financial risks for firms forced to terminate long-standing supply contracts.

Currently, Russian gas still accounts for around 19% of the EU’s total supply — down significantly from approximately 45% prior to 2022 — with deliveries continuing via the TurkStream pipeline and through LNG shipments to countries like Belgium, France, the Netherlands, and Spain.

French Industry Minister Marc Ferracci voiced general support for the plan during remarks to the press on June 16: “We fully support this plan in principle, with the aim of ensuring that we find the right solutions to provide maximum security for businesses.”

By Tamilla Hasanova