European Parliament committees approve ban on Russian gas and oil imports
The European Parliament’s Committees on Industry, Research and Energy (ITRE) and on International Trade (INTA) have jointly adopted draft legislation to ban imports of Russian natural gas, including pipeline and liquefied natural gas (LNG), from 1 January 2026, with limited exemptions for pre-existing contracts until mid-2026 and early 2027. The proposal also prohibits the storage of Russian-origin gas in EU facilities and extends the ban to Russian oil and petroleum products from the same date. It introduces stricter customs verification of production origin, mandatory authorisation and audits, and measures to prevent circumvention through re-labelling, transit via third countries, or shadow fleets. The Committees removed a clause allowing temporary suspension of the ban for energy security reasons and added penalties for breaches. The draft was approved by 83 votes to 9, with 1 abstention, and negotiations with the Danish Presidency of the Council were authorised. This initiative aims to protect the EU from the weaponisation of energy supplies by the Russian Federation, which intensified following its 2022 invasion of Ukraine and the ensuing manipulation of European gas markets.