Member States are required to prepare national gas supply diversification plans by 1 March 2026. Breaches of the regulation will trigger strict penalties to both companies and individuals.

Background to the ban

On 3 December 2025, the European Union announced that an agreement was reached, to permanently end the import of Russian gas and phase out Russian oil, marking a significant step towards energy independence and market stability. This decision aims to eliminate reliance on Russia, ensuring Europe's energy security and resilience.

The agreement follows the Versailles Declaration and builds on the REPowerEU Plan, which has already reduced the EU's dependency on Russian gas from 45 per cent in 2022 to 13 per cent in 2025.

Key highlights:

Permanent ban on Russian gas imports:

• Liquefied natural gas (LNG) imports to cease by 31 December 2026, and pipeline gas by 30 September 2027.
• Member States may exceptionally extend deadlines in case their storage levels are below required filling levels.
• Amendments to existing contracts are restricted to operational purposes only.
• Strong anti-circumvention safeguards, alongside existing customs controls and surveillance.
• During the transition period, Russian gas imports will require prior authorisation and detailed information to ensure volumes are limited to existing contractual levels.

Phase-out of Russian fossil fuels:

• Member States must submit national diversification plans outlining measures to diversify their gas and oil supplies by 1 March 2026.
• Monitoring mechanisms will prevent circumvention of the ban.
• The European Commission intends to propose legislation to phase out Russian oil imports by the end of 2027.

Implementation and monitoring:

• Monitoring mechanisms will oversee the transition to ensure compliance and prevent circumvention.
• Measures will be coordinated to minimise possible impact on prices, stabilise markets and ensure alternative supplies.

The European Commission’s press release can be found here and the EU Council’s here