The European Union has confirmed that its upcoming ban on Russian gas imports will not affect gas deliveries transiting through EU member states to non-EU countries such as Serbia, according to Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos.
Responding to reports in Serbian media claiming that the new EU regulation would block gas flows to Serbia, Kos clarified that the measure requires EU countries to end their own import contracts with Russian suppliers but does not prohibit the transit of gas across EU territory to third countries.
Earlier this week, the Council of the European Union approved the European Commission’s proposal to phase out all imports of Russian pipeline gas and liquefied natural gas (LNG) starting on 1 January 2026. A transition period allows short-term contracts to remain valid until 17 June 2026, while long-term agreements may continue until 1 January 2028.
The decision prompted strong reactions from Serbian officials, who warned that the new EU rules could create difficulties for Serbia, which depends heavily on Russian gas delivered through the Balkan Stream pipeline—an extension of TurkStream that runs via Bulgaria to Serbia and Hungary.
However, the draft regulation clearly states that natural gas entering the EU under a transit procedure may continue to flow to non-EU countries. It also introduces a monitoring system to ensure that gas in transit does not enter the EU market.
Serbia’s annual gas consumption is about 2.7 billion cubic meters, most of which is supplied under a three-year agreement signed with Gazprom in May 2022 for up to 2.2 billion cubic meters per year via Balkan Stream. The remainder comes from Azerbaijan through the interconnector with Bulgaria. Serbia is currently in talks with Gazprom about a new long-term supply deal.
