The EU plans to end all reliance on Russian gas and LNG by late 2026 and mid-2027.
Lawmakers agreed to block Russian pipeline gas and LNG, while allowing Hungary and Slovakia limited access during emergencies.
Short-term contracts signed before June 2025 will face LNG bans from April 2026 and pipeline bans from June 2026.
Member States Clash Over Exemptions
Long-term LNG contracts may run until January 2027, while long-term pipeline contracts will end by September 2027.
Officials may delay the pipeline ban to November 2027 based on storage capacity across the bloc.
EU leaders accelerated energy diversification after Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine disrupted prices and supplies.
The EU cut Russian gas dependence from 45% before the invasion to 13% in early 2025, yet imports still reached €10 billion.
Parliament opposed exemptions for landlocked states but agreed to them to break the deadlock with the Council.
Hungary and Slovakia plan to challenge the law, arguing that the measure violates EU treaties and imposes unfair burdens.
Emergency Protections and Political Pushback
The agreement includes a suspension clause that activates only if a state declares an emergency under EU gas rules.
A member state may invoke this clause if it enters November with under 90% gas storage.
All EU countries must now draft diversification plans to end Russian oil and gas imports by March 2026.
The law will also block imports through Turkstream unless companies prove the gas only transited Russia or Belarus.
EU leaders praised the deal as the end of Europe’s dependence on Russian energy and a step toward long-term stability.
Officials vowed never to return to Russian supply risks, market manipulation, or energy blackmail.
Lawmakers said the law will prevent further market shocks like those seen in 2021 and 2022.
Energy ministers will vote on the final text on 15 December, followed by a parliamentary plenary vote the same week.
