The European Commission unveiled a legislative proposal on Tuesday detailing how the EU will phase out Russian oil and gas imports by 2027, including deadlines for new contracts and diversification requirements for member states.
The European Commission published a new legislative proposal on Tuesday outlining the process and deadlines for EU member states to reduce and eventually end their reliance on Russian oil and gas by 2027. The initiative is part of the REpowerEU Plan aimed at strengthening the bloc’s energy security.
The proposal does not cover nuclear energy, which a senior Commission official indicated would be addressed separately. Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the EU has gradually decreased its imports of Russian oil, gas, and nuclear materials. Despite these efforts, as of 2024, the EU still relies on Russia for 19% of its gas and 3% of its crude oil supply.
“Russia has repeatedly attempted to blackmail us by weaponising its energy supplies. We have taken clear steps to turn off the tap and end the era of Russian fossil fuels in Europe for good," said European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
Under the draft rules, new contracts for Russian gas will be banned from 1 January 2026. All existing short-term contracts must end by 17 June 2026, with limited exceptions for landlocked countries with long-term agreements, which will be allowed until the end of 2027. The proposal also prohibits long-term contracts for LNG terminal services involving Russian companies, aiming to open up infrastructure to alternative suppliers.
EU countries will be required to develop and submit detailed diversification plans, specifying the steps and milestones to replace Russian energy imports.
Hungary and Slovakia expressed opposition to the plan at a meeting of EU energy ministers, citing concerns over national sovereignty and energy security. Hungary’s Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó stated, “Energy policy is a national competence and this endangers our sovereignty and energy security. Given the Middle East escalation, we proposed no such plan be tabled at all.” Despite this, the Commission decided to proceed with the proposal.
Denmark, which will assume the Council presidency on 1 July, intends to expedite political agreement on the text. Lars Aagaard, Danish Minister for Climate and Energy, said, “If we succeed in concluding [the legislation] before New Year, I think that we have done a tremendous job.”
The legislation will follow the standard EU process. The European Parliament and the Council of the EU will negotiate their positions before entering inter-institutional talks (trilogue) to reach a political agreement. Approval in the Council will require a qualified majority (at least 15 of 27 member states representing 65% of the population), while the European Parliament will vote by a simple majority.
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