Unclear if Belgium can use EU option to block Russian LNG - minister

It is unclear if Belgium will be able to use the option in an upcoming European Union law to block imports of Russian liquefied natural gas, Belgium's energy minister said on Monday.

"We are indeed also in Belgium confronted with specific contracts that were signed well before the war and it is now still an open point how to address this," Tinne Van der Straeten told a meeting of the EU Parliament's energy committee.

Noting the provision in an upcoming EU gas market law, which would allow countries to restrict imports of Russian LNG, Van der Straeten said it was "not entirely clear if we can work with that" and any action would first require consultations with neighbouring countries.