The United States Department of the Treasury has issued a new special licence allowing the Petroleum Industry of Serbia (NIS) to continue operating until 1 July 2026.
According to a company statement, the new licence enables the uninterrupted performance of key activities necessary for the functioning of NIS and the stable supply of the market.
The licence covers the maintenance of existing contracts and agreements involving NIS and its subsidiaries, oil refining operations, crude oil imports, technical maintenance of facilities, as well as the financial transactions required for regular business operations.
NIS expressed its gratitude to the domestic and international institutions involved in the process of finding a solution that would ensure the company’s long-term stability and uninterrupted operations.
The licence extension follows a decision by the US Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), which approved the continuation of the company’s operations until the beginning of July.
It should be recalled that 16 June was the deadline for the previous licences relating to NIS’s operations, as well as for the continuation of negotiations between the Hungarian company MOL and the Russian company Gazprom Neft regarding possible changes to the ownership structure.
Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić had previously stated that he expected a further extension of the licence, noting that, according to the information available to him, the American side was prepared to allow the company to continue operating while a permanent solution is being sought.
NIS plays a key role in Serbia’s energy system, which is why decisions concerning the company’s operations are closely monitored both within the country and across the region.
(Index Online, 17.06.2026)