Qatar has reportedly warned European nations that it may halt natural gas deliveries if the European Union does not revise specific clauses within its proposed supply chain due diligence directive. The warning, communicated in a formal letter, includes a list of proposed changes to the directive and has been confirmed as received by the European Commission.
The four-page letter, penned by Qatar’s Minister of Energy, Saad Sherida Al-Kaabi and sent to several European governments in May, outlines concerns that the EU’s “Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive” (CSDDD) presents “evident inconsistencies and tensions” with Qatari laws and standards. The letter states that the directive, as currently drafted, potentially undermines the sovereignty of nations and restricts their ability to establish their own national climate protection goals, arguing that it exceeds the scope of the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement.
QatarEnergy, the state-owned energy company, indicated it would “seriously consider alternative markets outside the EU” for its Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) and other products if the EU fails to address these issues.
According to Eurostat data, Qatar supplied 10.8% of Europe’s LNG needs in the first quarter of this year, making it the third-largest supplier behind Russia (17%) and the United States (50.7%). The potential shift in supply would significantly impact the EU’s plans for gas sanctions against Russia, currently slated to take effect in 2028.
The German government has declined to comment on the specifics of the correspondence, stating that it generally refrains from disclosing confidential communications with other nations. The situation underscores the evolving dynamics of European energy security and the potential geopolitical consequences of climate-related regulations.