Recital (31)

In their Versailles Declaration, the Heads of State or Government committed not only to phase out natural gas supplies from the Russian Federation, but also other energy supplies, in particular oil supplies. The Russian Federation has applied practices similar to those in the field of gas, where it has a history of using gas as a means of exerting coercion and manipulation, when trading oil with the Union, which has been evidenced, for example, by past interruptions of oil supplies. Existing oil supply relations with the Russian Federation create dependencies and security risks in the Union. In order to prevent the Russian Federation from using its oil exports to the Union as a tool for coercion, it is essential to prepare a timely phase-out also of oil imports from the Russian Federation. While restrictive measures to ensure the phase-out of oil imports from the Russian Federation are already in place and oil imports have decreased significantly, a further phase-out of Russian oil may require specific preparatory steps and coordination with neighbours.