Reuters reports that the EU is considering proposals to accelerate the phase-out of Russian gas by one year.

**EU Considers Speeding Up Russian Gas Phase-Out**

The European Parliament is looking at proposals to move up the planned phase-out of Russian gas by a year. According to Reuters, lawmakers are suggesting that the start date be moved from the end of 2027 to January 1, 2027.

This proposal comes as EU lawmakers prepare to negotiate the details of the planned gas ban. The European Commission announced in May 2025 that all imports of Russian pipeline gas and liquefied natural gas (LNG) would be banned by the end of 2027. However, some lawmakers want to speed up this process.

The lead lawmakers on the gas ban, Inese Vaidere from the center-right European People’s Party (EPP), and Ville Niinisto from the Greens, have both proposed moving the deadline up to January 1, 2027. Vaidere has also suggested that governments penalize any companies that violate the gas ban, while Niinisto has called for a full ban on Russian oil imports starting in 2027.

While EU member states are unlikely to agree to push the ban up by a year, officials may use this proposal as leverage in upcoming negotiations. The European Parliament will hold a vote in fall 2025 to confirm its position before finalizing the phase-out with EU countries.

**Background on Russian Gas Imports**

The EU’s reliance on Russian gas has dropped significantly since Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in early 2022. Russian gas imports have fallen from around 45% of all imports to approximately 19% as of May 2025, according to figures from the European Commission.

However, there was a modest rebound in Russian gas imports in 2024, prompting urgent calls for a coordinated phase-out. The Commission acknowledged that this development highlighted the need for a swift and complete phase-out of Russian gas imports.

**Next Steps**

The EU’s final version of the ban requires Parliamentary approval and a qualified majority of EU members. Despite the opposition from countries like Hungary and Slovakia, which rely heavily on Russian pipeline gas, the ban cannot be blocked by a veto from either country.

The European Parliament will hold a vote in fall 2025 to confirm its position before finalizing the phase-out with EU countries. This proposal is just one of several measures aimed at reducing the EU’s dependence on Russian energy imports.