Austria's gas plans after the war: risk or chance for the future?

Austria's gas plans after the war: risk or chance for the future?

Austria plans to be careful by the end of the war, a careful re -assessment of its gas import strategies, especially with regard to Russian imports. State Secretary Elisabeth Zehetner (ÖVP) has made it clear in Brussels that Austria supports the planned import ban for Russian natural gas. This is seen as a crucial step against the Russian attack war and for a uniform European energy policy. The EU Commission is on 17. June 2025 Present suggestions to outline the exit from Russian gas.

However, the current location requires a diversified energy policy. Austria recognizes the need to reduce the dependence on individual, especially Russian providers. Economic Minister Wolfgang Hattmannsdorfer (ÖVP) emphasizes that it is important to consider the various influencing factors such as infrastructure, price effects and follow -up.

political reactions and various opinions

The political reactions to the planned measures are mixed. While the NEOS advocate a complete exit from Russian gas by 2027 and criticize the procedure of the ÖVP, the Greens Lena Schilling described the demand for an opening for Russian gas imports after the war as politically scandalous. Petra Steger (FPÖ) also sees the decision as positive, while other MPs reject this. Peter Schieder (SPÖ) also calls for a complete exit from Russian gas.

Background of these developments are the extensive EU sanctions against Russia and the decision to forego energy imports from Russia by 2027. According to a report of the Tagesschau , the gas deliveries from Russia still made up 19 % of the entire EU gas imports in 2024. In 2023, natural gas and LNG worth 15.6 billion euros were imported, while the United States supplied gas imports worth 19.1 billion euros.

energy market in change

After the attack on Russia on Ukraine in February 2022, there was a dramatic increase in natural gas prices and a gas deficiency in Europe. The EU then presented a strategy for departure from Russian gas, which includes far -reaching measures. It is planned not to conclude new contracts with Russian suppliers and to have long-term delivery contracts expired by the end of 2027, as reported on the Süddeutsche

The EU Commission expects these strategies not only to contribute to strengthening energy safety, but could also lead to a decline in gas prices in the long term. Investments in renewable energies and green hydrogen technologies are regarded as necessary steps in order to make European energy supply sustainable and to avoid dependencies.