EU to Completely Ban Imports of Russian Gas Starting Autumn 2027

On December 3, 2025, the Council of the European Union announced on its website that the EU will implement a complete ban on imports of Russian gas starting in the autumn of 2027.

The announcement stated that representatives from the Council of the EU and the European Parliament reached an agreement to phase out and ultimately completely ban imports of Russian gas. The agreement stipulates that the ban on imports of Russian liquefied natural gas (LNG) will take effect at the end of 2026, and the ban on imports of pipeline gas will take effect in the autumn of 2027.

Lars Aagard, the Danish Minister for Climate, Energy and Utilities, whose country holds the rotating Presidency of the Council of the EU, said that the EU must end its dependency on Russian gas. To strengthen EU security and safeguard energy supplies, the member states and the European Parliament swiftly reached the aforementioned agreement.

In a report released on October 27, the International Energy Agency (IEA) stated that in the first three quarters of 2025, Russia's natural gas exports to Europe decreased significantly, with LNG exports falling by 10% year-on-year and pipeline gas exports dropping by 45%. The report forecasts that Europe's total LNG imports will hit a record high for the full year 2025, increasing by approximately 20% compared to 2024. Due to factors such as rising consumption demand and reduced pipeline gas imports, LNG prices in Europe remain elevated.