Committees of the European Parliament have supported proposals for the EU's complete rejection of Russian gas and oil.

Source: press service for the European Parliament, as reported by European Pravda

Details: On 16 October, the Committees on Industry, Research and Energy and on International Trade approved draft plans to ban imports of any Russian gas, including LNG, into the EU from 1 January 2026.

Certain exceptions are provided only for existing short-term contracts (until 17 June 2026) and long-term contracts (until 1 January 2027), provided they were signed before 17 June 2025.

The proposed measures allow energy operators to terminate contracts by invoking force majeure, which may include a legally binding ban on further imports.

The draft also proposes banning the temporary storage of Russian-origin gas within the EU from 1 January 2026.

To close loopholes and reduce the risk of circumvention, operators will be required to provide more detailed proof of the country of origin.

From the same date, the import of all Russian oil and petroleum products is also to be banned, alongside additional safeguards and tougher penalties for bypassing the restrictions.

In addition, MEPs removed a clause that would have allowed the European Commission to temporarily suspend the import ban in situations posing a threat to the EU's energy security.

The legislation was adopted by 83 votes in favour, 9 against, and 1 abstention.

The press service noted that MEPs backed the decision on the grounds that Russia has systematically used its energy resources as a weapon for two decades, a practice that has intensified since its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Background:

• The EU is also negotiating a new sanctions package against Russia that would ban imports of liquefied natural gas a year earlier, from January 2027.
• The new sanctions package also proposes blacklisting more than 100 vessels belonging to Russia's shadow fleet.

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