By a large majority, the European Parliament in Strasbourg gave its blessing to a total ban on Russian gas imports by autumn 2027. This way, the EU wants to prevent Russia from using this income to continue the war in Ukraine.
By 500 votes to 120, the chamber backed a compromise previously agreed with the Member States. For short-term supply contracts, the ban will come into force in the course of next year. Imports of liquefied natural gas (LNG) under long-term contracts will be stopped from January 2027 and imports via pipelines by 1 November 2027 at the latest.
"This is historic: the EU is taking a giant step towards a new era without Russian gas and oil. Russia will never again be able to use fossil fuel exports as a weapon against Europe," said Finnish rapporteur Ville Niinistö, welcoming the approval.
Since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the EU has significantly reduced its dependence on Russian gas. Nevertheless, an estimated 13% of gas imports will still come from Russia this year, worth more than €15 billion.
No ban on oil imports (yet)
The agreement does not yet include a ban on Russian oil imports. The European Commission will table a proposal early next year. The European Parliament hopes that these imports will also be stopped by the end of 2027 at the latest.
The Member States still have to formally ratify the compromise, but that is a formality. After all, Hungary and Slovakia do not have a veto. Both countries are still very dependent on Russian energy and are strongly opposed to the ban.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has already indicated that he intends to challenge the legislation through legal channels.
