January 26, 2026
EU Council officially approves phased ban on Russian gas imports
On Jan
TL;DR
- EU member states have agreed to a phased ban on Russian gas imports, aiming for a complete halt by September 2027.
- Transition periods are in place for existing contracts, with varying end dates for short-term, long-term LNG, and pipeline gas.
- By March 1, 2026, EU countries must submit national plans for diversifying gas supplies and report potential issues and active contracts with Russia.
- Hungary and Slovakia voted against the proposal, and Bulgaria abstained, but they are still required to comply.
- Slovakia intends to appeal the regulation to the European Union Court.
- Russian gas, which previously constituted about 40% of EU imports, had fallen to around 13% by 2025.
- The European Commission also plans to propose legislation to phase out Russian nuclear fuel and oil.
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