The European Union will ban Russian liquefied natural gas (LNG) imports from early 2026, and phase out pipeline gas purchases by 30 September 2027, following new legislation adopted by the European Parliament.
The move forms part of efforts to reduce reliance on Russian fossil fuels, the Parliament said in a statement on Wednesday.
The law sets out penalties for companies that break the new rules, and requires EU member states to enforce these measures.
The new regulation also includes stricter customs requirements for gas imports. Importers will need to provide more detailed evidence of the country of origin before gas can be stored or sold in the EU.
Stronger controls and next steps
The legislation was passed with 500 votes in favour, 120 against, and 32 abstentions, and now awaits formal approval by the Council of the European Union before publication and coming into force.
In negotiations, Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) also advanced timelines for phasing out existing contracts, and secured a commitment from the European Commission to propose a ban on Russian oil imports.
Any oil import ban could be implemented as early as 2026 but would occur no later than the end of 2027, the European Parliament stated.
Temporary suspensions of the ban on Russian energy imports would only be permitted in cases of severe threats to EU energy security, under stricter conditions also agreed in the negotiations.
The adoption of these measures follows what the European Parliament described as Russia’s use of energy supplies as a geopolitical tool, including sharp supply reductions and price increases after the start of the war in Ukraine in 2022.
European gas prices soared by up to eight times their pre-crisis levels following Russia’s actions.
The new rules prohibit the signing of long-term contracts for Russian LNG one year earlier than initially planned, and are designed to close loopholes that could allow sanctioned energy to still enter the European market.
