EU proposes accelerated phase-out of Russian gas by 2027

The European Parliament is considering a proposal to postpone the EU's withdrawal from Russian gas to January 2027 instead of 2028, as previously proposed by the European Commission. The initiative was introduced by deputies Inese Vaidere from the European People's Party and Villa Niinisto from the Greens. However, EU diplomats believe that governments are unlikely to support the acceleration, although parliament can use this as a tool to make other changes.

Vaidere's proposals include fines for companies violating the ban, including revocation of their licenses, and Niinisto advocates a complete ban on Russian oil imports from 2027. The final decision will be taken by vote in the autumn, and the measures will require approval by the European Parliament and the majority of EU countries. Hungary and Slovakia, which still import Russian gas, will not be able to block the decision.

The share of Russian gas in the EU has already decreased to 14% due to the termination of transit through Ukraine. At the same time, the EU is counting on new LNG projects in the United States and Qatar. The United States already exports 450 million cubic meters of LNG per day. Despite the reduction in supplies, gas prices in the EU remain 20% higher, underscoring the need to diversify energy sources.