The European Union is preparing for negotiations on a plan to ban imports of Russian natural gas starting January 1, 2028. However, top lawmakers in the European Parliament have proposed bringing the deadline forward by a year—to January 1, 2027.
According to Reuters, on July 25, the proposal was put forward by Latvian MEP Inese Vaidere and Finnish MEP Ville Niinistö. They are also advocating for tougher enforcement measures, including penalties for companies that violate the ban, such as revoking their energy trade licenses.
Niinistö is pushing for an even earlier phase-out of Russian oil imports, suggesting a complete ban from January 1, 2027. This aligns with a broader European Commission plan presented in June, which proposes stopping new gas contracts with Russia from 2026 and ending all imports of Russian oil and gas by the end of 2027.
These measures still need approval from both the European Parliament and a qualified majority in the EU Council—meaning no single country, including those still reliant on Russian energy like Hungary or Slovakia, can veto the decision.
Previously, it was reported that Slovakia’s state-owned gas supplier, Slovenský plynárenský priemysel, plans to meet the entirety of its domestic supply needs with Russian pipeline gas in 2026, leveraging an EU exemption for holders of long-term contracts.
