European Economic
and Social Committee
Ending Russian energy imports
Background
The EESC has to express its view on the Proposal for a Regulation on phasing out Russian gas imports and improving monitoring of potential energy dependencies presented by the European Commission in June 2025.
The proposal sets out measures to gradually and effectively stop the import of Russian gas and oil by the end of 2027. The objective is to end the EU’s exposure to market and economic security risks due to dependency on Russian fossil fuels and ultimately boost the Union’s energy independence and competitiveness.
The proposal follows the REPowerEU Roadmap and provides a stepwise phase-out of pipeline gas and liquefied natural gas (LNG) originating in or exported directly or indirectly from the Russian Federation. It also presents measures to facilitate the complete stop of Russian oil imports by the end of 2027. Member States will be required to present diversification plans with precise measures and milestones for the gradual elimination of Russian gas and oil imports.
In March 2022, EU Leaders had agreed on the phase-out of Russian energy by adopting the Versailles Declaration and in May 2022, as an immediate response to the war in Ukraine and Russia’s weaponisation of energy supplies, the European Commission had put forward the REPowerEU Plan.
Key points
The EESC:
- welcomes the proposal but also realises that the EU needs to prioritise the phase-out of Russian gas and oil in 2026, ensuring full and definitive completion by the end of 2027 at the latest, and recognises the urgent need to cease funding Russia’s war effort and place the EU’s security above the perceived short-term financial gains of a handful of Member States. The new article 7 that the EESC proposes would put oil imports on an equal footing with gas imports.
- welcomes the stronger instruments proposed for monitoring energy dependencies; suggests, however, that these mechanisms should be subject to stronger parliamentary oversight. The EESC also recommends involving the social partners and organised civil society in the assessment of strategic dependencies.
- proposes deleting the possibility of a derogation, provided for in article 15 of the proposal. Allowing for a derogation undermines the strategic goals of the proposal by diluting its core objective.
urges the EU to pursue a proactive and coordinated course of action to further identify and eliminate shadow fleet operations; urges importance of introducing adequate measures for uranium, its derivatives and associated technology and expertise, as soon as safely possible.
Additional information
Section: Transport, Energy, Infrastructure and the Information Society (TEN)
Opinion number: TEN/855
Opinion type: Mandatory
Referral: COM(2025) 828 final 2025/0180 COD COM(2025) 828 final 2025/0180 COD
Rapporteur: Jacek Krawczyk (Group I - Poland)
Date of adoption by section: 4 September 2025
Result of the vote: 36 in favour, 0 against, 4 abstentions
Date of adoption in plenary: 17-18 September 2025
Result of the vote: 88 in favour, 0 against, 7 abstentions
Contact
Marco Pezzani
Press Officer
Tel.: +32 2 546 9793 | Mob: +32 470 881 903
E-mail: marco.pezzani@eesc.europa.eu
Giorgia Bordignon
Administrator
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