EU draws the line on Russian gas with gradual ban from 2026, oil set to follow suit in 2027

December 18, 2025, by Melisa Cavcic

Given its determination to shake off the shackles of dependence on Russian oil and gas imports, the European Union (EU) has decided to lay down the law on these fossil fuels by holding the line on the proposed gradual ban on imports of pipeline gas and liquefied natural gas (LNG) from next year, with oil expected to suffer the same fate in 2027 in response to what is being portrayed as Russia’s systematic weaponisation of energy supplies.

Prigorodnoye production complex at Sakhalin II project; Source: Gazprom

Following a draft legislation, adopted on October 16, 2025, by the Committees on Industry, Research and Energy and on International Trade to ban imports of Russian pipeline gas and LNG from January 1, 2026, with exceptions for existing short-term contracts until June 17, 2026, and long-term deals until January 1, 2027, a new law was adopted on December 18, 2025, to protect the EU’s energy security from the so-called weaponisation by the Russian Federation.

This pattern is perceived to have been documented over nearly two decades and observed to escalate with the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, which came with further allegedly deliberate market manipulation, including Gazprom’s unprecedented underfilling of EU storage facilities and abrupt halts to pipelines, causing energy prices to spike by up to eight times their pre-crisis levels.

With this in mind, the members of the European Parliament (MEPs) opted to approve the gradual ban on pipeline and liquefied natural gas imports as of next year. The legislation, already agreed with Council, was adopted with 500 votes to 120, with 32 abstentions. This law will now have to be formally endorsed by Council before publication in the Official Journal.

As a result of this legislation move, spot-market Russian LNG will be banned from the EU once the regulation enters into force in early 2026, while pipeline gas imports will be phased out by September 30, 2027. During negotiations, the co-legislators advanced the phase-out timelines for most import contracts. The new law establishes penalties to be enforced by member states against operators for infringements.

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During negotiations with the Danish presidency of the Council, MEPs also pushed for the banning of all imports of Russian oil and secured a commitment by the European Commission to present legislation for this in early 2026, so an effective ban can be enforced as soon as possible and no later than late-2027.

Ville Niinistö (Greens/EFA, Finland), MEP for the Industry, Research and Energy Committee (ITRE), commented: “This is historic: the EU is taking a giant step towards a new era free of Russian gas and oil. Russia can never again use fossil fuel exports as a weapon against Europe. Our key priorities were to accelerate the timeline for banning pipeline gas as much as possible, prohibit long-term LNG contracts one year earlier than foreseen, and prevent circumvention of these new rules.

“Now, we must act without delay to implement this agreement and turn our attention to oil imports, where we will hold the European Commission to its commitment to make a proposal early in 2026.”

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In addition, the MEPs pushed for stricter conditions under which a temporary suspension of the import ban can occur in emergency situations in relation to EU energy security. Operators will have to provide customs authorities with stricter and more detailed evidence of the country of production of their gas before its import or storage to close loopholes and mitigate the risk that the rules are being circumvented.

Inese Vaidere (EPP, Latvia), Lead MEP for the International Trade Committee, underlined: “Today’s vote sends a clear and powerful message: Europe will never again be dependent on Russian gas. This is a major achievement for the EU and a historic turning point in European energy policy.

“We have strengthened the European Commission’s initial proposal by introducing a pathway towards a ban on oil and its products, ending long-term contracts sooner than originally proposed, and securing penalties for non-compliance.”

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