European authorities discovered a method to evade the embargo on natural gas imports from Russia.
Article Rewrite
Heard a juicy tidbit, folks? The European Commission is cookin' up a clever move to sidestep Hungary and Slovakia's potential veto on the ban of Russian gas supplies. And guess who's spillin' the beans? None other than The Financial Times (FT)! According to their report, a draft proposal from the EC suggests a new approach using EU trade law provisions.
Now, here's the lowdown. European firms won't be able to ink any new deals for Russian gas. Existing short-term pipeline and liquefied natural gas contracts are due to be axed by 2026, while long-term contracts will be nixed by January 1, 2028.
What's cool about this approach is that EU trade law allows decisions to be made by a simple majority vote. So, even if Hungary and Slovakia disagree with the gas ban, they can't veto it.
According to the Ember analytical center, Russian gas accounted for 14% of the EU's total fossil fuel imports in 2024. Italy topped the list as the biggest importer, followed closely by Hungary, France, and Spain.
Now, here comes the interesting bit from our enrichment data. The EC's draft proposal would:
- Instantly prohibit European companies from establishing new contracts with Russia for gas.
- Phase out existing short-term pipeline and LNG contracts by 2026.
- End long-term contracts by January 1, 2028.
- Offer temporary exemptions to Hungary and Slovakia, letting them continue imports until 2027.
- Require firms to provide customs authorities with documentation confirming their gas imports don't originate from Russia, ensuring transparency and compliance.
The EC is gunning to use EU treaty clauses mandating energy supply security to back these measures and make them hard to block by individual member states. It's all about phasing out the EU's dependence on Russian gas while dancing around political hurdles from countries reliant on these imports.
Brussels, Zoya Oskolkova, 2025 © RIA "Novy Day"
[Sources: 5, 2]
- The Financial Times (FT) reports that the European Commission's draft proposal, aiming to cut off Russian gas supplies, employs EU trade law provisions to bypass potential vetoes from Hungary and Slovakia.
- This proposal involves immediate prohibition of new gas contracts with Russia, phasing out existing short-term contracts by 2026, and ending long-term contracts by January 1, 2028.
- Interestingly, Hungary and Slovakia may receive temporary exemptions to continue imports until 2027, but they must provide customs authorities with documentation confirming their gas imports do not originate from Russia, ensuring transparency and compliance.
