The European Commission presents a new proposal to end dependence on Russian oil and gas
The European Commission published a new legislative proposal on Tuesday aimed at enabling the EU to phase out imports of Russian oil and gas by 2027.
This proposal sets deadlines and strategies for EU countries to follow to reduce their dependence on Russia as a fuel supplier, as part of the so called “REpowerEU” plan launched by the Commission to promote energy independence on the continent.
The proposal didn’t address the nuclear energy sector, with a senior Commission official explaining that this aspect would be addressed separately during a meeting with reporters.
Since the start of Russia’s comprehensive military operation in Ukraine in February 2022, the European Union has gradually reduced its imports of oil, gas, crude oil, and nuclear materials from Russia.
Data shows that by 2024, the EU will still depend on Russian imports for 19% of its gas and 3% of its crude oil supplies.
Commenting on the announcement, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said, “Russia has repeatedly tried to blackmail us by weaponizing its energy supplies… We’ve taken clear steps to turn off the tap and end the era of Russian fossil fuels in Europe once and for all”.
Under draft rules unveiled by the European Commission, any new contracts for Russian gas imports will be prohibited starting January 1, 2026.
Existing short-term contracts are scheduled to expire on June 17, 2026, with limited exceptions for landlocked countries that rely on long-term agreements, which will be allowed to import Russian gas until the end of 2027.
The proposal also stipulates a ban on long-term contracts for LNG terminal services in cooperation with Russian companies, a move aimed at opening the way for alternative suppliers and liberalizing import infrastructure.
Under the same rules, EU countries are required to submit detailed energy diversification plans, including specific steps and milestones to replace Russian energy imports, as part of their commitment to the REpowerEU plan and their complete elimination of reliance on Russian fossil fuels.
During a meeting of EU energy ministers on Monday, Hungary and Slovakia expressed their rejection of the European Commission’s proposed plan.
Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó said in a blog post on X, “Energy policy is a national concern, and this plan threatens our sovereignty and energy security… Given the escalation in the Middle East, we have proposed that such a plan not be proposed at all”.
Despite this opposition, the European Commission confirmed that its proceeding with the preparation of the legislative text without any substantive amendments.
For his part, Danish Minister for Climate and Energy Lars Aagaard expressed the hope that the upcoming Danish presidency of the Council of the European Union – which begins on July 1 – will lead to a political agreement on the text as soon as possible.
He indicated that his country would make a great effort to achieve political approval “as quickly as possible,” adding, “If we succeed in passing the legislation before the new year, I believe we have done a tremendous job”.
The European Commission’s legislative proposal to end the EU’s dependence on Russian oil and gas by 2027 has entered the regular legislative process.
The European Parliament and the Council of the European Union are expected to begin separate negotiations to determine their respective positions on the text, before entering what is known as the “tripartite dialogue,” formal negotiations between the Commission, the Council, and the Parliament to reach a final political agreement.
For the text to be adopted by the European Council, it will require a qualified majority, represented by the support of at least 15 of the 27 member states, together representing at least 65% of the total EU population.
In the European Parliament, the proposal is expected to be voted on by a simple majority of MPs.
