EU Passes Landmark Law to Ban All Russian Gas Imports from 2026

BRUSSELS: The European Union has approved a sweeping new law to end all imports of Russian gas, marking one of the bloc’s most significant energy reforms in decades. The legislation—drafted by EU lawmakers, officials and diplomats—aims to permanently dismantle Europe’s dependence on Russian energy and reshape the continent’s gas market.

The ban will take effect in stages beginning January 1 next year, when all spot-market purchases of Russian gas will be immediately prohibited. Existing short-term and long-term supply contracts will be allowed to run their course but must end by 2026 and 2027. A complete halt to Russian pipeline gas imports will come into force in September 2027, a timeline designed to accommodate countries such as Slovakia and Hungary that remain heavily reliant on Russian supplies.

Although European imports of Russian gas have fallen sharply since 2022, Russia still represents 19% of EU gas consumption. Temporary measures currently restricting Russian imports must be renewed every six months, but the new law makes the ban permanent and provides legal protection for member states that may face international disputes for terminating contracts.

To ensure stability, the EU Council has approved a list of “safe supplier countries” from which gas can be imported without enhanced scrutiny. The list includes Qatar, Algeria, and Nigeria.

EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen highlighted the drastic reduction in Europe’s energy payments to Russia—from €12 billion per month before the Ukraine war to €1.5 billion today—and said the goal was to bring that figure to zero.
“The purpose of this law is to demonstrate that Europe will never return to Russian fossil fuels,” she said.

Green MEP Ville Niinistö added: “The only losers here are Russia and President Putin.”

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