EU to begin phasing out Russian gas on 3 February, first contracts to be cancelled from 25 April
The EU published the REPowerEU regulation in its Official Journal on 2 February, setting out the gradual cessation of Russian gas imports. The regulation takes effect on 3 February, with the first contracts to be cancelled from 25 April.
As reported by a European Pravda correspondent, the EU's decision to completely withdraw from Russian gas imports by 2027 comes into force in February 2026.
"As regards the REPower regulation, which has indeed been published today in the Official Journal, this means that it will start to apply as of tomorrow," Anna-Kaisa Itkonen, spokesperson for the European Commission, said in response to a question from European Pravda.
The regulation sets the following restrictions:
- From 25 April 2026: short-term contracts for liquefied natural gas (LNG) are banned
- From 17 June 2026: short-term contracts for pipeline gas are banned
- From 1 January 2027: long-term contracts for LNG imports are banned
- From 30 September 2027: imports of pipeline gas under long-term contracts are banned.
As an exception for pipeline gas, EU member states may extend the deadline to 31 October 2027 if their gas storage levels are below the required threshold, the European Commission told European Pravda.
"Published today, the REPowerEU Gas Regulation (EU/2026/261) lays down the legal provisions for the gradual phase-out of imports of natural gas from Russia. This historic decision, adopted at the end of last year, aims to put an end to the EU's dependence on Russian gas once and for all by 2027," the European Commission stated.
On 26 January, EU countries gave final approval to a phased plan to ban imports of Russian gas, which is to be implemented by the end of 2027.
The same day, Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó said Budapest intends to file a lawsuit with the Court of Justice of the European Union as soon as the decision on the REPowerEU plan, aimed at a complete ban on imports of Russian oil and gas into the EU, is officially published.
It later emerged that Slovakia would follow Hungary in taking legal action over the EU's ban on energy imports from Russia.