Netherlands continues to import Russian gas
Date
12/10/2023 8:17:31 AM
(MENAFN) In spite of previous commitments to cease purchasing Russian gas, the Netherlands reportedly continues to import it, as per Dutch trade data cited by a Russian news outlet on Saturday.
The report indicates that in September, the European Union country imported around 211.5 million cubic meters of liquefied natural gas (LNG) from Moscow, valued at €109 million (USD117 million).
This followed a three-month hiatus in Dutch imports of Russian LNG, initiated after the country's climate and energy minister, Rob Jetten, announced in April that the government was working to halt hydrocarbon imports from Russia. Jetten pledged to stop signing new contracts for Russian LNG supplies and terminate existing agreements, leading to a significant reduction in imports in May and a cessation during the summer.
While the EU has imposed various sanctions on Russia over the past 22 months due to the Ukraine conflict, Russian gas has not faced restrictions.
However, EU imports of pipeline gas from Russia have largely ceased as part of the bloc's broader effort to reduce dependence on Russian energy. Nevertheless, the EU has continued to purchase substantial amounts of LNG from Moscow, reaching a record 1.75 million tons in November, according to Kpler data.
Recent reports suggest that the EU is developing legislation allowing member states to unilaterally terminate gas imports from Russia. The proposed measure, as per documents seen by the Financial Times, would grant any member state the authority to "partially or, where justified, completely limit" or block Russian and Belarusian companies from acquiring capacity in European pipelines and LNG terminals.
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