REPowerEU 3 years on: Commission takes stock of progress to phase out Russian fossil fuels

Marking 3 years since the launch of the REPowerEU Plan, the Commission takes stock of progress towards cleaner, more autonomous and affordable energy.

The plan set out measures to phase out Russian fossil fuels, while speeding up the clean energy transition with more emphasis on renewable energy, energy efficiency and saving energy. 

As a result of EU measures, since May 2022

• Imports of Russian gas dropped from 150 billion cubic meters (bcm) in 2021 to 52 bcm in 2024 – with the share of Russian gas imports falling from 45% to 19%.
• Crude oil imports from Russia are down from 27% to just 3% and coal imports reduced to zero.
• EU countries operating Russian designed nuclear reactors (VVERs) are increasingly turning to non-Russian alternatives.

In parallel, the EU continues to roll out renewable energy. Almost half of electricity in the EU now comes from renewables (47%). Industry estimates that installed wind and solar capacity has increased by 58% cumulatively between 2021 and 2024, saving around 38 bcm of gas over 3 years. For 2025, it could further increase by 16%, replacing around 16 additional bcm of gas. Simplified permitting processes and more investment will help to stay on course towards the target of 42.5-45% of renewable energy in EU countries’ energy mix by 2030.

The EU has also revised its rules on energy efficiency. EU countries agreed to further reduce their energy consumption by additional 11.7% by 2030 and create incentives for more energy-efficient buildings, supported by EU financing. Member States are also implementing EU legislation and initiatives to improve the ecodesign and  energy labelling of household products, which saves energy and reduces household bills. Between August 2022 and January 2025, the EU has successfully reduced its gas demand by 17%, equivalent to 70 bcm of gas per year.

However, the EU is still importing Russian sources of energy, with revenues fuelling Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine. As a response, the Commission published a REPowerEU Roadmap on 6 May 2025, announcing measures to cut off remaining gas, oil and nuclear imports from Russia in a gradual and coordinated way. 

The Roadmap will be followed by legislative proposals by the Commission in June 2025. The proposals aim to ban or restrict contracts with Russian gas suppliers. It also foresees trade measures on Russian imports of enriched uranium and new actions to address Russia's shadow fleet transporting oil. There will also be new rules on transparency, monitoring and traceability of Russian gas and national plans to be prepared by EU countries on phasing out Russian gas, oil and nuclear energy. 

Related links 

• REPowerEU - 3 years on