In the new draft compromise of the Danish Presidency of the EU Council on the ‘REPowerEU’ Regulation concerning the phasing out of Russian gas contracts by the end of 2027, there is no longer a prohibition on new contracts (concluded after 17 June 2025) from 1 January 2026, as suggested by the European Commission in its legislative proposal (see EUROPE 13661/5).
In previous drafts, the Danish Presidency had already placed this date in square brackets (see EUROPE 13703/1, 13699/5).
The draft compromise published on 12 September and obtained by Agence Europe now completely removes the reference to 1 January 2026. Instead, it states that a date for prohibition will still have to be inserted and that it will apply six weeks after the Regulation comes into force.
This has been introduced in order to “provide for a transition period to allow gas suppliers which have not yet adapted their supply strategies to make the necessary arrangements to comply with this Regulation”, states the text.
The new version retains the transitional dates of 17 June 2026 for short-term contracts concluded before 17 June 2025, and 1 January 2028 for long-term contracts and short-term contracts for gas delivered by pipeline to landlocked countries.
The Danish Presidency also specifies the cases in which the transition phase can be applied to existing supply contracts that have undergone changes since 17 June. This is quite logically the case if there is a reduction in the quantities contracted, a reduction in prices or changes required by legal or arbitration proceedings.
The EU Council’s national ‘Energy’ experts will discuss this new proposal from the Danish Presidency on Tuesday 16 September.
To see the new draft compromise: https://aeur.eu/f/ifz (Original version in French by Pauline Denys)