EU considering proposals to speed Russian gas phaseout by 1 year, Reuters reports
The European Parliament is considering proposals to speed up the planned phaseout of Russian gas by one year, moving the start date to January 2027, Reuters reported on July 25, citing documents viewed by the outlet.
The proposals come as EU lawmakers prepare to negotiate the details of the gas ban, which the European Commission announced in May 2025 . The legally binding ban applies to imports of Russian pipeline gas and liquefied natural gas (LNG) and was set to begin by the end of 2027.
The ban's lead lawmakers in Parliament have each proposed moving the deadline up to Jan. 1, 2027, according to documents outlining their planned amendments. The proposals come from Inese Vaidere, who represents the center-right European People's Party (EPP), and Ville Niinisto of the Greens.
EU member states will not likely agree to push the ban up a year, but officials could use the demand as leverage in the upcoming negotiations, European diplomats told Reuters.
Vaidere has also proposed a requirement that governments penalize any companies that violate the gas ban, while Niinisto has sought a full ban on Russian oil imports beginning Jan. 1, 2027.
The European Parliament will hold a vote in fall 2025 to confirm its position in negotiations with EU countries regarding the phaseout. The final version of the ban requires Parliamentary approval and a qualified majority of EU members. The ban cannot be blocked by a veto from either Hungary or Slovakia — countries that rely heavily on Russian pipeline gas and have opposed the planned phaseout.
While these countries cannot veto the phaseout directly, Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico repeatedly stalled passage of the EU's 18th package of sanctions against Russia due to his objections to the gas ban.
The EU's reliance on Russian gas has dropped significantly since Moscow's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in early 2022, dropping from around 45% of all imports to approximately 19% as of May 2025, according to figures from the European Commission.
The Commission acknowledged, however, that 2024 saw a modest rebound in Russian gas imports, prompting urgent calls for a coordinated phaseout.
