Overview
- EU ambassadors approved a Council draft regulation to phase out Russian gas, with the project text published and final adoption still pending.
- A full ban on Russian LNG imports is set for the end of 2026, with pipeline gas restricted in stages.
- Pipeline imports would be barred from 17 June 2026 for short‑term contracts and from 30 September 2027 for long‑term deals, with a possible shift to 1 November 2027 where the Commission confirms a storage‑level risk by 15 September 2027.
- The ban exempts gas that only transits through Russia, with verification rules to determine whether gas was produced or liquefied in Russia.
- An emergency mechanism allows a member state to suspend the ban for up to four weeks, extendable and limited to short‑term purchases, with Commission notification required; violators face steep fines, and Russia is separately considering lifting gasoline and diesel export bans for non‑producers based on market conditions.