Answer for question E-002812/24

EN E-002812/2024 Answer given by Mr Jørgensen on behalf of the European Commission (19.3.2025) Following the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the EU has acted firmly to cut its reliance on Russian energy. REPowerEU1, adopted in May 2022, sets out a plan to fast forward the clean transition, diversify supplies, and enhance EU energy resilience. The EU phased out Russian coal imports. Oil is down from almost a third to 3% of total EU imports. In terms of gas, the EU reduced its Russian gas imports from over 45% in 2021, to 19% in 2024, replacing it with alternatives from trusted international partners. However, Russian energy, particularly gas, remains in the EU energy mix. To address this, the Commission plans to swiftly adopt a Roadmap to end Russian energy imports by fully implementing REPowerEU. Regarding infrastructure, gas will remain important for the EU’s energy mix in the coming years. The Commission is monitoring ongoing projects, especially Projects of Common Interest and selected REPowerEU projects funded by the Recovery and Resilience Facility, which are vital for EU’s energy security. Completion of these projects will enable the EU to eliminate Russian gas dependency. However, the EU must focus on rapid electrification, renewable energy integration and investing in electricity interconnections as outlined in the Grids Action Plan2, to meet climate goals and enhance energy resilience. Given the EU’s climate policy direction and interconnected gas markets,...