Energy experts from the national delegations to the Council of the European Union will meet on Tuesday 15 July to discuss the Danish Presidency’s new attempt at a compromise on the European Commission’s proposal for a regulation on abandoning Russian gas contracts by the end of 2027 (see EUROPE 13661/5).
In this version of 10 July, obtained by Agence Europe, the Danish Presidency has kept the deadline of 1 January 2026 in square brackets. This is the date proposed by the Commission for banning imports of Russian gas (pipeline and LNG) under new contracts concluded after 17 June 2025.
These square brackets seem to indicate that the regulation, once adopted, would not necessarily apply retroactively, according to one source. In other words, if an agreement cannot be reached before the end of 2025 - as the Presidency would like - and implementation takes place later in 2026, the ban on new contracts may not come into force from 1 January.
The European Commission explains that the objective remains adoption before the New Year, but that if not, it will be up to the co-legislators to work out the details of retroactive application.
Diversification plans. Compared to the previous version, the text states that the diversification plans, with regard to Russian gas on the one hand and Russian oil on the other, expected by 1 March 2026, “should be subject to the rules of professional secrecy and not be disclosed without the agreement of the respective Member State”.
The new document also states that the Commission will inform the Gas Coordination Group of those Member States that are exempt from drawing up a national gas diversification plan.
For oil, the new text specifies that the Commission must contribute to cooperation between Member States when implementing national diversification plans.
Secondly, if the plans identify a risk that the ban on Russian oil imports will not be achieved by 1 January 2028, the Commission may, “after assessing the national diversification plan and within three months of submitting the plan”, issue a recommendation.
Customs authorities. On several occasions in the text, the reference to “customs authorities” has been replaced by “the relevant authorities in accordance with Article 10”.
This article targets the exchange of information between customs authorities and now places greater emphasis on “cooperation” between these authorities. The Danish Presidency adds that, where a Member State so decides, the customs authorities may delegate specific tasks to other competent authorities.
It also specifies that these authorities must report, on a monthly basis, on developments concerning imports of natural gas “which originates in or is exported, directly or indirectly, from Russian Federation”.
To see the Presidency document, go to https://aeur.eu/f/hv8 (Original version in French by Pauline Denys)