EU Gas Imports Mid-term Outlook Roundtable Held in Brussels

On Monday, 7 July 2025, the Brussels Energy Club hosted a high-level roundtable titled EU Gas Imports Mid-term Outlook – Considering the Role and Strategies of the Gas Exporting Countries. The event took place in person at the TUSIAD offices in Brussels and brought together international experts, senior industry figures, and institutional representatives for a full day of off-the-record discussions, including a networking lunch.

The roundtable focused on Europe’s evolving gas supply strategy amid efforts to phase out Russian gas imports by the end of 2027. Participants examined legal, economic, and geopolitical factors shaping the EU’s ability to secure stable and affordable gas supplies while avoiding new strategic dependencies. The roundtable assessed the readiness of alternative suppliers, the role of joint purchasing mechanisms, infrastructure investment needs, and the broader impact of global gas market shifts.

Special attention was given to the way in which energy diversification is reshaping the EU’s external partnerships with gas-exporting countries and reinforcing the Union’s strategic autonomy within the global energy landscape.

The session featured in-depth contributions from multiple experts in European and international gas markets and was moderated by the Brussels Energy Club. Attendees included officials from EU institutions, representatives from energy companies, and delegates from gas-producing and transit countries.

Agenda

Morning sessions:

1. Strategic Context

• The EU’s response to Russia’s gas export policies: context of the supply cuts in 2006, 2009, 2014, and 2022.

• A forward-looking EU energy import strategy: past dependencies and future alignments.

• The significance of energy security in shaping EU external policies and partnerships.

• Framing the core dilemma: How can the EU secure affordable gas without creating new strategic vulnerabilities?

• How bullish should we be about the future of gas in the global context and where does Europe stand?

2. From Dependency to Strategy: The EU’s Legal and Political Roadmap

• EU legislation aims to phase out Russian gas: spot contracts by 2025 and long-term contracts by 2027. How realistic is and impact on markets?

• Understanding the role of national phase-out plans and joint preparedness.

• Prospects for Russian gas rebound - avoiding backdoor re-exports and swap-based circumventions.

• Talk of reviving Nord Stream II – an undesirable pie in the sky?

• Trading Russian gas in Europe – perspectives from the trading community

Afternoon sessions:

3. The Gas Exporters: What’s on their mind as they balance volumes and Partnerships?

• An outlook on core suppliers: Norway, Algeria, Russia, Qatar, USA

• An outlook on alternative suppliers: Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, East Med suppliers

• Firming up on the Southern Gas Corridor in light of the Russian gas phase-out

• Supply capabilities and a willingness to commit long-term.

• Supplier perspectives on energy diplomacy and global competition for gas (the GECF)

• How is the EU’s diversification of supply strategy transforming global gas trade routes and influence?

4. The Gas Markets: Economics, Infrastructure & the Global LNG Shift

• The cost of LNG versus pipeline gas – the real economics behind investment decision making

• Forecasted LNG boom (250 bcm by 2030): price moderation or volatility?

• Infrastructure readiness: Can terminals handle new volumes efficiently?

• Impact on EU competitiveness and industrial policy.

5. Closing Round: Europe’s gas supply security in a fast-moving international context

• What strategic risks persist in Europe’s energy transition?

• How can energy diversification contribute to building strategic resilience?

• Which partnerships should the EU prioritize: Mediterranean, Africa, or the Americas?

• How can the EU balance short-term gas needs with long-term decarbonization objectives?

Speaker information

Sapar Palvanov

Ambassador of Turkmenistan to the EU

Dr Marat Terterov

Co-founder and Advisory Board Chair, Brussels Energy Club

Jan Haizmann

BREC Advisory Board Member; Managing Director, Correggio Consulting

Ana Stanic

Director and founder, E&A Law, London

Brussels Energy Club Advisory Board Member

Philip Lowe

Partner, Oxera Consulting

Claus Bergschneider

Brussels Energy Club Advisory Board Member

Former Senior Executive from the German gas industry

Samuel Furfari

Prof Géopolitique de l’énergie/ Energy geopolitics

ESCP London, ULB (emerite)

Steven Travers

Region Director, GaffneyClineTM Energy Advisory, Baker Hughes

John Roberts

Caspian Energy Analyst, METHINKS

Dr. Jack Sharples

Senior Research Fellow, Oxford Institute of Energy Studies

Bill Farren-Price

Senior Fellow and Head of Gas Research, Oxford Institute of Energy Studies

Clayton Nash PE

Director, Strategic Development, Tegre Corporation, USA

Pavel Chistyakov

President of IEC Applications and Services, InfraEconomy Group (France, UAE, Kazakhstan)

Presentations

The following speaker presentations from the EU Gas Imports Mid-term Outlook Roundtable are available for download:

• Pavel Chistyakov: The Streams of Future – New Routes for Gas Transportation to Europe [PDF]

• Steven Travers: Tomorrow’s energy will be defined by today’s thoughts [PDF]

• Clayton Nash: Tegre Emissions Solutions – US Emissions / EU Imports [PDF]

• John Roberts: Gas Exporters: Volumes and Partnerships [PDF]

• Dr. Jack Sharples: No Way Back for Russian Gas in Europe? [PDF]

  
  

  
  

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