Russian LNG | France should stop imports “as soon as possible”

(Paris) France should become a “pioneer” country in Europe by banning “as soon as possible” imports of Russian LNG as part of international sanctions linked to the invasion of Ukraine, a commission of inquiry from the French Senate.  

In its report, this commission dedicated to the giant TotalEnergies and the climate action of the French State considers it necessary to “raise France into a pioneering position compared to other European countries, by proposing the inclusion of LNG (liquefied natural gas ) Russian to energy products under European sanctions”.

The country should also “set an example by stopping imports of Russian LNG into France as soon as possible”, estimates this report, the result of six months of work and adopted unanimously by its members.

Since December 2022, the European Union has, however, imposed an embargo on imports of crude oil and petroleum products transported by sea from Russia.

In its report, the French commission of inquiry also calls for “the cessation of new projects or new phases of projects in progress involving French companies in the hydrocarbons sector in Azerbaijan”, the host country of the next UN climate conference (COP29) in November and in diplomatic cold with Paris.

The commission of inquiry also calls for the French State to hold a “specific share” in the capital of TotalEnergies to have a “right of oversight” over certain developments in the group, in the crosshairs of environmental defense organizations.

“A “specific action” would allow the State to have a “right of inspection” over the shareholder developments of the group and greater information, even greater influence, with regard to the strategic decisions of its board of directors,” the report points out.

The commission of inquiry justifies this proposal in view of “the evolution of the threats weighing on the energy sovereignty of France and Europe, the evolution of the shareholder structure of TotalEnergies”, very oriented towards United States.

The possibility of TotalEnergies relocating its main listing from Paris to New York has recently caused controversy in France.