Natural gas imports from Russia to be banned starting 2023

RIGA - The Saeima on Thursday passed in the final reading amendments to the Energy Law banning natural gas imports from Russia starting January 1, 2023. 

Earlier, the government agreed in principle to end gas imports from Russia. 

The initial proposal to prohibit gas imports from Russia was tabled by MPs Reinis Znotins (Conservatives) and Janis Cielens (Conservatives).

The parliament also adopted a regulation for specific cases on agreements with other EU member states' regulatory authorities to ensure the implementation of the ban.

The regulation of agreements with other EU member states' regulatory authorities will apply to cases where Latvia's unified gas transmission and storage operator Conexus Baltic Grid (Conexus) will have agreed with another country's operator on the creation of a unified gas transmission system. 

Latvia and the EU started to seriously consider giving up Russian gas after Russia launched its war against Ukraine.