Belgium is calling for a European Union-wide ban on Russian liquefied natural gas (LNG) imports, as current sanctions have failed to stop rising volumes at EU import terminals, according to Belgian Energy Minister Tinne Van der Straeten.
In recent months, Belgium, along with the Netherlands, Spain, and France, has been one of the top importers of Russian LNG, especially after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the subsequent cutoff of many EU countries from Russian pipeline gas.
Belgium now believes the EU’s recent efforts to limit Russian LNG revenues have been insufficient. Many European companies remain locked into long-term contracts with Russia, signed before 2022, making it difficult for them to disengage.
“We still have Russian gas coming into Belgium. I’ve explored every possible option, and the current gas laws won’t solve the issue,” Van der Straeten told the Financial Times. “We need a unified European response.”
The EU’s latest sanctions package against Russia includes a ban on reloading Russian LNG in EU territory for transshipment to third countries after a nine-month transition period. This applies to both ship-to-ship and ship-to-shore transfers but does not affect direct imports, only re-exports via the EU.
In addition to this, the EU has prohibited new investments and the provision of goods, technology, and services for the completion of Russian LNG projects like Arctic LNG 2 and Murmansk LNG. It has also banned Russian LNG imports into specific terminals that are not connected to the EU gas pipeline network.
Despite these measures, Russian LNG imports to the EU have continued to rise.
Sophie Hermans, the Dutch Minister of Climate Policy and Green Growth, has also called for stronger sanctions. She emphasized the need for a “common European approach” as imports of Russian LNG into Rotterdam, Europe’s largest port, surged in the third quarter.
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