EU moves to seal loopholes ahead of Russian gas ban

Bloomberg reported the information.

Denmark, which currently holds the EU’s rotating Presidency, has proposed changes that would require importers to provide evidence proving that the gas has not been produced in Russia, the outlet reported. The proposal highlights particular concerns over flows through TurkStream, a key pipeline connecting Russia with Southeast Europe.

“Natural gas entering the Union through borders or interconnection points between the Union and Russia or Belarus and through the interconnection point Strandzha 2 / Malkoclar (TurkStream) shall be presumed to be exported, directly or indirectly, from the Russian Federation, unless unambiguous evidence” is provided to the contrary, the Danish compromise proposal states.

The plan underscores EU worries that Russian gas could still infiltrate the market even after a ban, given the difficulty of tracking where gas is produced, especially when it is blended with other supplies en route to consumers. The proposal would also rule out swap deals that replace Russian shipments with non-Russian gas.

Under the draft rules, supplies under existing contracts shorter than one year would be halted by June 17, 2026, with exemptions for landlocked countries such as Hungary and Slovakia. A ban on longer-term contracts would take effect by the end of 2027.

Denmark aims to secure agreement on the Russian gas ban among EU member states by October, before negotiating with the European Parliament to finalize the rules by year-end, Bloomberg reported.