Phasing out Russian natural gas imports and improving monitoring of potential energy dependencies

The Committee on International Trade and the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy jointly adopted the report by Inese VAIDERE (EPP, LV) and Ville NIINISTÖ (Greens/EFA, FI) on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on phasing out Russian natural gas imports, improving monitoring of potential energy dependencies and amending Regulation (EU) 2017/1938.

The committee responsible recommended that the European Parliament's position adopted at first reading under the ordinary legislative procedure should amend the proposal as follows:

Subject matter

The proposed regulation provides a framework for effectively eliminating the Union’s remaining exposure to the significant risks for trade and security, resulting from gas and oil trade with the Russian Federation by laying down:

- a stepwise prohibition of imports and temporary storage of natural gas from the Russian Federation and of the provision of LNG terminal services;

- a prohibition of oil imports, including petroleum product imports, from the Russian Federation;

- rules to effectively implement and monitor those prohibitions;

- provisions to better assess the security of energy supplies in the Union.

Prohibition of natural gas imports

The amended text seeks to ban imports of Russian natural gas - both pipeline and liquefied natural gas (LNG) - from 1 January 2026, with limited exceptions for existing short-term contracts (until 17 June 2026) and long-term contracts (until 1 January 2027), provided they were concluded before 17 June 2025 and remain unamended.

A legal prohibition of imports of natural gas under a Union trade measure constitutes ‘force majeure’, a sovereign act of the Union beyond the control of gas importers, rendering the performance of natural gas imports from Russia unlawful, with direct legal effect and without any discretion for Member States concerning its application. The Commission should provide information and technical assistance to EU companies, including through best practices and training sessions, to facilitate the effective implementation of the Regulation.

Prohibition of oil imports, including petroleum product imports

The import and temporary storage of oil, including petroleum products, which originate in or are exported directly or indirectly from the Russian Federation as well as of petroleum products obtained in a third country from crude oil originating in the Russian Federation, should be prohibited as of 1 January 2026.

Importers of oil, including petroleum products, should be required to submit to the customs authorities an application for prior authorisation of imports accompanied by all information necessary to establish the country of origin of the imported crude oil, the country of origin of the imported petroleum product or the country of origin of crude oil on the basis of which the petroleum product was obtained.

Circumvention

Given that there is increasing evidence that certain suppliers may resort to opaque maritime transport practices, including the use of so-called dark or shadow fleets that disable tracking systems, reflag vessels or conduct ship-to-ship transfers to obscure the origin, ownership and destination of energy shipments, Member States should monitor maritime transport practices in their territorial waters, including by requesting any relevant documentation.

National diversification plans for oil, including petroleum products

To ensure the implementation of the prohibition on imports of oil, including petroleum products, without disruption, Member States should establish a diversification plan describing measures, milestones and potential barriers to diversify their oil supplies, by 1 January 2026. The Commission should have the possibility to adopt decisions on those plans.

Penalties

Member States should establish penalties that are effective, proportionate and dissuasive. These penalties should take into account the seriousness and duration of the infringement, any advantages gained, cooperation with authorities, past conduct, and other relevant circumstances. A harmonised provision of penalties, when applying administrative fines, should be introduced. The minimum administrative fines should be 5% of the undertaking’s total worldwide annual turnover for the preceding financial year.