Qatar has threatened to suspend its liquefied natural gas (LNG) supplies to European Union countries in response to a new EU due diligence law addressing forced labor and environmental harm. This was reported by Reuters, citing a letter from the Qatari government to Belgian authorities.
In the letter dated May 21, Qatar’s Energy Minister Saad Al-Kaabi stated that the country is reacting to the EU’s Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD). The directive requires large companies operating in the EU to identify and address human rights and environmental issues throughout their supply chains.
“Put simply, if further changes are not made to the directive, the State of Qatar and QatarEnergy will have no choice but to seriously consider alternative markets outside the EU for our LNG and other products that offer a more stable and business-friendly environment,” the letter reads.
A spokesperson for Belgium’s representation to the EU declined to comment on the letter.
Meanwhile, a spokesperson for the European Commission confirmed receipt of Qatar’s message, stating that EU lawmakers and national governments are currently negotiating amendments to the directive.
Earlier this year, Brussels already proposed adjustments to soften the directive’s requirements, including delaying its enforcement by one year — until mid-2028 — and narrowing the scope of supply chain checks companies must carry out.
Companies that fail to comply may face fines of up to 5% of their global turnover. However, Qatar said the proposed revisions are still insufficient.
Qatar is the world’s third-largest exporter of LNG, after the United States and Australia. Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Qatar has supplied between 12% and 14% of the EU’s LNG imports.
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