The European Commission is exploring ways to prevent EU companies from entering into new agreements to purchase Russian fossil fuels, in a move aimed at curbing the bloc’s reliance on Moscow for energy.
A senior EU official told Reuters that the Commission is “assessing whether it can legally prohibit European Union firms from signing new contracts for the supply of Russian fossil fuels.” As part of this review, the Commission is reportedly evaluating a range of options, including the possible use of trade-related tools, to implement such a measure.
The main goal is to reduce European firms’ spot purchases of Russian liquefied natural gas (LNG). According to the official, the Commission is also developing legal strategies that would enable companies to walk away from existing contracts with Russian suppliers without facing financial penalties.
With some EU member states vowing to block any formal sanctions on Russian gas, the Commission is seeking alternative strategies to cut energy ties with Russia. These steps are intended to speed up the bloc’s shift away from Russian energy, without needing unanimous agreement on direct sanctions.
The EU executive body plans to present these measures in a “roadmap” expected on May 6.
The Commission emphasized that any energy-related restrictions must be designed to “cause more harm to Moscow than to the EU” while carefully weighing the implications for Europe’s energy security and market prices.
Meanwhile, EU officials have decided against including a ban on Russian LNG imports in the latest sanctions proposals, as several member states have threatened to block such efforts.
