Bloomberg: EU will give its members the ability to block LNG imports from Russia

The EU is looking for a way to give member states the ability to impose a ban on imports of Russian liquefied natural gas without imposing new energy sanctions. Bloomberg with reference to the document, which is planned to be presented today, March 28, at a meeting of EU energy ministers.

According to the agency, the ministers are ready to approve an initiative that will give them the right to temporarily prohibit Russian exporters from reserving in advance the infrastructure capacities of European countries necessary for LNG supplies. The proposal will enter into force if it is approved by the European Parliament, Bloomberg specified. The authors of the initiative were Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland, the agency reports.

On March 9, the European Commission proposed not to renew contracts for the purchase of Russian LNG in order to free up the market for “reliable” suppliers. According to European Commissioner for Energy Kadri Simson, continued purchases of liquefied natural gas from Russia is a “reputational risk” for European consumers. So far, this is a recommendation, while current long-term contracts for Russian LNG expire beyond the 2030 horizon. According to analysts, the Russian Federation will be able to painlessly redirect its LNG to scarce Asian markets, and the very idea of ​​a ban on LNG imports will be difficult to implement in practice.

More details – in the material “Gas Cleaning Considerations”.

Erdni Kagaltynov