The European Parliament’s energy committee has supported a proposal to ban imports of Russian gas and oil to the EU for a year.
The draft legislation received support from the Members of the European Parliament (MEPs), with 83 votes in favour, 9 against and one abstention.
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This ban, effective 1 January 2026, comes with limited exceptions for existing contracts.
Short-term contracts will be allowed until 17 June 2026, while long-term contracts can continue until 1 January 2027, provided they were signed before 17 June 2025.
Backed by the committees on industry, research, energy and international trade, the proposal allows energy operators to terminate contracts for Russian gas imports.
In addition, the MEPs propose to prohibit the temporary storage of Russian-origin natural gas in EU facilities starting in 2026.
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By GlobalDataTo prevent circumvention, operators must provide customs authorities with detailed evidence of the gas’s country of origin before import or storage.
Industry, Research and Energy Committee (ITRE) lead MEP Ville Niinistö said: “The vast majority of the members of the two committees have voted for a strong position to strengthen the exit from Russian fossil fuel imports.
“I am impressed by the shared understanding of the need for effective legislation that is not just banning imports of Russian gas and oil to the European Union but is also stringent in enforcement and closes the loopholes of the Commission’s proposal.”
The draft legislation also targets Russian oil imports, mandating prior customs authorisation and verification of the country of production.
To address circumvention risks, such as relabelled imports and ‘shadow fleets’, the legislation requires origin certification for oil pipelines and quarterly audits.
It also requires a list of high-risk liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminals to be managed by the European Commission.
The MEPs removed a review clause that would have allowed the Commission to temporarily suspend the import ban in cases threatening EU energy security.
Also, they introduced penalties for violations of the regulation to strengthen enforcement.
The Parliament will inform its plenary chamber of this decision during its session on 20–24 October.
International Trade Committee lead MEP Inese Vaidere said: “The almost unanimous support gives me a strong mandate for negotiations with the Council.
“The ban of Russian fossil fuels is a great achievement for the European Union and a turning point in European energy policy.
“We have strengthened the European Commission’s initial proposal by including oil and its products, ending long-term contracts a year earlier than proposed, adding penalties for non-compliance and deleting exceptions for landlocked countries.”
Last month, the EU planned to implement a ban on Russian LNG imports earlier, aiming for a complete phase-out by January 2027.
