Agreement within the EU on banning Russian gas from pipelines

In their agreement in principle, member states and MEPs agreed that EU countries may refuse Russian or Belarusian companies that want to use a gas pipeline or LNG terminal. This should, for example, make it impossible for Russians to book a lot of capacity in gas networks and then not use it, which could drive up gas prices.

Member states and the European Parliament still have to formally approve the agreements, but that is usually a formality. The new rules are part of a broader agreement on common rules for trade in biogases and hydrogen.

After Russia invaded Ukraine, the country increasingly cut off the supply of gas to European countries. This led to extremely high gas prices. European leaders condemned this as a means of blackmail to pressure Western support for Ukraine.

Before the start of the war in Ukraine, Europe was very dependent on natural gas from Russia. The EU has therefore not announced any sanctions against Russian gas, while the bloc does, for example, ban a lot of oil from Russia. According to Bloomberg news agency, deliveries of liquefied natural gas (LNG) to European countries have increased recently, while pipeline gas supplies are at historic lows.