France and Belgium, the EUʼs top consumers of Russian liquefied natural gas (LNG), are not supporting a Brussels EU Commission plan to completely ban the fuel by 2027. They both want more clarity on the legal and economic impact before deciding, Politico reported.
The EU released a two-step plan to end all Russian gas imports by 2027 on May 6. The plan only requires a weighted majority of 15 countries for approval, not all 27 states, to be adopted.
France prefers to focus on finding alternative suppliers. The country is already replacing Russian gas with imports from Qatar, Energy Minister Marc Ferracci told Politico.
Belgium is also asking for a detailed economic breakdown.
Before the EU unveils its firm proposal, “we ask the Commission to present an in-depth impact assessment” of the measures, Belgian Energy Minister Mathieu Bihet told Politico. According to him, the country will make a technical assessment on the impact of the measures on Belgium’s LNG infrastructure.
Spain and the Netherlands, the EUʼs third and fourth biggest buyers, said that they want to support future legislation that would terminate contracts with Russia, banning short-term purchases this year and long-term contracts by 2027.
Spain supports a joint EU move to end purchases. But it still remains tied to a long-term contract with Russia’s energy company Novatek that runs until 2042. The Netherlands has a similar deal with TotalEnergies that expires in 2032.
France, meanwhile, signed a multi-decade contract with Qatar last year. But it is cautious about a full EU-wide ban, citing concerns about legal exposure for companies like TotalEnergies, which still owns a 20% stake in Russia’s Yamal project which operates an LNG facility in Siberia.
According to the media outlet, Belgium is committed to receiving Russian LNG until 2035. Officials say they won’t take a final stance until the EU publishes a legal package.
The European Commission needs backing from all four countries to push its proposal forward, which is expected next month, Politico wrote.
In 2024, France, Belgium, Spain, and the Netherlands bought 97% of all Russian LNG imported into the EU – worth over €6 billion ($6.9 billion) according to Politico – and accounted for more than half of Moscow’s global LNG exports.
However, Hungary and Slovakia are also expected to resist the move, because they want to continue importing cheap Russian energy resources, Politico wrote.
An EU official confirmed to Politico that the EU Commission is preparing an impact analysis. EU capitals are also working on a joint declaration calling for economic and legal clarity.
While Russian gas imports to Europe faltered after Moscow’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, it continued to contribute a tiny fraction of the quantity via the Turkish Stream, its one remaining pipeline route to Europe with a capacity of just under 16 billion cubic meters (565 cubic feet) per year, plus deliveries in the form LNG.
In 2024, Russian gas made up 19% of the EU’s imports, down from 45% prior to 2022, the EU Commission reported in May.
“However, the EU saw a rebound in Russian gas imports in 2024. The European Commission has therefore presented a roadmap to ensure the EU fully ends its dependency on Russian energy, while ensuring stable energy supplies and prices across the EU,” the Commission said.
Alternative sources of gas imports include the US, which has been supplying Europe with LNG following Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine. It has since become the bloc’s largest LNG supplier representing 45% of the market.