European Commission proposes total ban on Russian oil imports by year-end

European Commission President von der Leyen said on May 4 that the European Commission submitted the sixth round of sanctions proposals on Russia that day, including a complete ban on the import of Russian oil by the end of this year.
The European Parliament held a plenary session in Strasbourg, France. Von der Leyen said at the meeting that when the leaders of EU member states met in March, they agreed to gradually get rid of their dependence on Russian energy. The previous round of sanctions involved Russian coal, and the new round of sanctions will address the EU's dependence on Russian oil.
Von der Leyen said that the European Commission's proposal to ban the import of Russian oil is a comprehensive import ban on Russian oil, "whether it is transported by sea or pipeline, whether it is crude oil or refined oil." The EU will phase out Russian crude oil within six months and Russian refined oil products by the end of this year.
The proposed new round of sanctions against Russia also includes the exclusion of Russia's largest bank, Sberbank and two other large banks, from the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Communication (SWIFT) system, and a ban on the news information products of the three Russian state media from any kind. The form landed and spread in the EU.
According to EU rules, the European Commission's proposal requires the unanimous consent of the 27 member states to take effect. Von der Leyen acknowledged that passage of the proposal would not be easy because some member states are highly dependent on Russia for energy.