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

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

After the end of the war, Austria plans to carefully reassess its gas import strategies, particularly with regard to Russian imports. State Secretary Elisabeth Zehetner (ÖVP) made it clear in Brussels that Austria supports the planned import ban on Russian natural gas. This is seen as a decisive step against the Russian war of aggression and for a uniform European energy policy. The EU Commission will on June 17, 2025 Present proposals to outline the phase-out of Russian gas.

However, the current situation requires a diversified energy policy. Austria recognizes the need to reduce its dependence on individual, especially Russian, providers. Economics Minister Wolfgang Hattmannsdorfer (ÖVP) emphasizes that it is important to take into account the various influencing factors such as infrastructure, price effects and traceability of origin.

Political reactions and diverse 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 ÖVP's approach, the Green Party's Lena Schilling described the call for an opening to Russian gas imports after the war as politically scandalous. In addition, Petra Steger (FPÖ) sees the decision as positive, while other MPs reject it. Peter Schieder (SPÖ) also calls for a complete exit from Russian gas.

The background to these developments is the EU's comprehensive sanctions against Russia and the decision to forego energy imports from Russia until 2027. According to a report by the daily news Gas deliveries from Russia still accounted for 19% of total EU gas imports in 2024. In 2023, natural gas and LNG worth 15.6 billion euros were imported, while the USA supplied gas imports worth 19.1 billion euros.

Energy market in transition

After Russia's attack on Ukraine in February 2022, there was a dramatic increase in natural gas prices and a gas shortage in Europe. The EU then presented a strategy to turn away from Russian gas, which includes far-reaching measures. The plan is to no longer conclude new contracts with Russian suppliers and to allow long-term supply contracts to expire by the end of 2027, as stated on the South Germans is reported.

The EU Commission expects that these strategies will not only contribute to strengthening energy security, but could also lead to a fall in gas prices in the long term. Investments in renewable energy and green hydrogen technologies are seen as necessary steps to make Europe's energy supply sustainable and avoid dependencies.