The European Union has taken a decisive step toward ending its dependence on Russian energy supplies, after the European Parliament approved legislation setting out a gradual phaseout of Russian natural gas imports. The new rules cover both pipeline gas and liquefied natural gas and are intended to strengthen the bloc’s energy security against what lawmakers describe as long-standing abuses by Moscow.

Under the regulation, spot market purchases of Russian LNG will be prohibited once the law enters into force at the start of 2026. Imports of natural gas delivered through pipelines will be reduced over time and fully discontinued by 30 September 2027. The legislation also obliges EU member states to introduce penalties for companies that violate the new restrictions, with harmonised maximum sanctions foreseen across the Union.

Alongside the gas measures, the European Parliament secured a political commitment on oil. During talks with the Danish Presidency of the Council, MEPs pressed for a comprehensive ban on Russian oil imports. As a result, the European Commission has pledged to present the necessary legislative proposal in early 2026, allowing an effective ban to take effect as soon as possible and no later than the end of 2027.

While the aim is to fully cut Russian energy imports, the text allows for limited and tightly defined exceptions in emergency situations, in order to safeguard the EU’s energy security. Parliament insisted that the conditions for temporarily lifting the ban must be stricter than initially envisaged, to prevent abuse of the exemption mechanism.

The regulation also introduces tougher obligations for economic operators. Companies will be required to submit more detailed documentation to customs authorities proving the origin of gas before it is imported or stored in the EU. These measures are designed to close loopholes and reduce the risk that Russian gas could enter the European market indirectly or under false declarations.

Commenting on the vote, Ville Nyenistö of the Greens, the Parliament’s lead rapporteur in the Industry, Research and Energy Committee, described the decision as a historic turning point. He said the EU was moving into a new phase in which Russian gas and oil would no longer be used as leverage against Europe, stressing the importance of swiftly implementing the agreement and advancing work on the oil ban.

Inese Vaidere from the European People’s Party, who led the file in the International Trade Committee, said the vote sent a clear signal that Europe would not return to dependence on Russian gas. She highlighted the added provisions on oil imports, the earlier termination of long-term contracts, and the inclusion of sanctions for non-compliance as key improvements to the Commission’s original proposal.

The legislation was adopted with a large majority, receiving 500 votes in favour, 120 against and 32 abstentions. It now awaits formal approval by the Council of the EU, after which it will be published in the Official Journal and enter into force.

The initiative is rooted in concerns over Russia’s repeated use of energy supplies as a political tool, a practice EU institutions say has been evident for nearly two decades. The situation escalated sharply following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, when Gazprom sharply reduced storage levels in the EU and halted pipeline deliveries. These actions contributed to extreme volatility in energy markets, with prices rising to as much as eight times their pre-crisis levels.