Finland may ban imports of liquefied natural gas (LNG) from Russia from early 2025; Legislative decisions will be prepared this year. This was announced to the newspaper by Finnish Minister of Environment and Climate Protection Kai Mykkänen. Helsingin Sanomat.
“I don’t want to promise a specific date, but hopefully next year we will be in a situation where the ban will come into force,” Mykkänen said.
Finnish state company Gasum continues to import LNG from Russia. The company explains this with contractual obligations. The company’s website states that it has a long-term purchasing agreement with Russia’s Gazprom company, which obliges it to make a minimum purchase.
In December, EU member states and the European Parliament agreed on a reform that would allow member states to ban Russian and Belarusian pipeline gas and LNG imports for security reasons. The regulation is expected to come into force in the spring. After that, the Finnish government may propose an import ban. According to Mykkanen, the ban needs to be carefully prepared. Under the new rules, a country’s government will need to consult the European Commission on banning LNG imports and take into account the concerns of neighboring countries. The ban is only applicable for a limited period of time.
December reportedIt was stated that the gas reserves in Europe’s underground storage facilities dropped to 94.39 percent.
Previously European Commission announced about plans to abandon Russian gas by the end of the decade.