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The European Commission has taken stock of progress under its flagship REPowerEU Plan, launched three years ago to cut reliance on Russian fossil fuels and accelerate the EU’s transition to clean, secure, and affordable energy. Since the plan’s adoption in May 2022, the EU has made significant strides in reshaping its energy landscape: Russian gas imports have dropped sharply, from 150 billion cubic meters (bcm) in 2021 to 52 bcm in 2024. Russia’s share of the EU’s gas imports has fallen from 45% to 19%. Crude oil imports from Russia have plummeted, down from 27% to just 3%, while coal imports have been eliminated entirely. Countries operating Russian-designed VVER nuclear reactors have begun shifting to alternative non-Russian fuel suppliers. Parallel to phasing out Russian energy sources, the EU has ramped up investments in renewables. As of 2024, 47% of the EU’s electricity comes from renewable sources. Wind and solar capacity has surged by 58% since 2021, resulting in estimated gas savings of 38 bcm over three years. By 2025, this capacity is expected to rise by a further 16%, displacing an additional 16 bcm of gas. The REPowerEU Plan also prioritised energy efficiency. EU Member States have agreed to reduce overall energy consumption by an additional 11.7% by 2030. National initiatives supported by EU funds are helping to upgrade building efficiency, introduce better energy labelling for appliances, and adopt stricter ecodesign standards. These measures have collectively helped the EU reduce its gas demand by 17%—approximately 70 bcm annually—between August 2022 and January 2025. Despite this progress, the EU continues to import some Russian energy, indirectly funding Russia’s war in Ukraine. In response, the European Commission has unveiled a REPowerEU Roadmap on May 6, 2025, outlining a new phase of action to fully sever remaining energy ties with Russia. The roadmap proposes legislative measures—expected in June 2025—that aim to: Ban or restrict contracts with Russian gas suppliers, Introduce trade restrictions on enriched uranium imports from Russia, Tackle oil shipments by Russia’s so-called “shadow fleet,” Enforce stricter rules on transparency, monitoring, and traceability of Russian energy imports.EU countries will also be required to submit national plans for phasing out Russian gas, oil, and nuclear energy as part of a coordinated, bloc-wide exit strategy. The REPowerEU Plan remains central to the EU’s climate and geopolitical strategy, targeting 42.5–45% renewables in the energy mix by 2030 while reducing exposure to volatile and politically sensitive fossil fuel markets. |
