Overview
- Long-term LNG contracts will be prohibited from January 1, 2027, and long-term pipeline deals are due to end on September 30, 2027, applying at the latest on November 1, 2027.
- Short-term purchases will be barred from April 25, 2026 for LNG and June 17, 2026 for gas delivered by pipeline.
- European companies will be able to invoke force majeure to exit existing contracts, and the measure is structured as legislation adoptable by qualified majority to avoid national vetoes.
- Hungary and Slovakia receive targeted flexibilities, including a transition for certain re-routed flows until January 1, 2028, with Hungary required to submit a diversification plan by March 1, 2026.
- The agreement is provisional pending Council and European Parliament votes this month, as EU reliance on Russian gas has already fallen from about 45% in 2021 to roughly 19% in 2024 with increased LNG sourcing.