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Qatar’s Minister of Energy, Saad al-Kaabi, has warned that the European Union’s (EU) sustainable development regulations could hinder the country’s ability to continue supplying liquefied natural gas (LNG) to the European market. He made this statement during an interview with Reuters on October 16.
Al-Kaabi, who also serves as the CEO of QatarEnergy, noted that without further adjustments to the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD) adopted by the EU in 2024, Qatar would face significant risks in its business operations within the bloc. This includes long-term LNG supply contracts with Shell, TotalEnergies, and ENI.
The CSDDD mandates that large companies operating in the EU must identify and address human rights and environmental issues within their supply chains, or face financial penalties of up to 5% of their global turnover. Al-Kaabi expressed particular concern about the requirement to align with climate transition plans consistent with the Paris Agreement’s goal of limiting global warming to 1.5°C.
Qatar is one of the world’s largest LNG suppliers, accounting for approximately 12–14% of Europe’s LNG demand since the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine conflict in 2022. The energy minister stated that QatarEnergy has been actively engaging with EU authorities and member states for nearly a year to address concerns related to the CSDDD, but has yet to receive a response.
Al-Kaabi emphasized, “Europe needs to decide whether it wants to continue attracting investment by adjusting the CSDDD, or risk weakening its competitiveness and harming its economy and consumers.”
The European Commission has not yet issued an official response to this matter.
Qatar’s primary resources include natural gas reserves exceeding 25,000 trillion cubic meters, ranking third globally, and oil reserves of 25.24 billion barrels (14th globally), with a production rate of 1.53 million barrels per day. QatarEnergy, the state-owned oil and gas company, oversees all domestic oil and gas operations.
In Europe, the Winter Supply Outlook report by the European Network of Transmission System Operators for Gas (ENTSOG) indicates that the EU can meet its gas demand for the upcoming winter without relying on Russian pipeline supplies. The report highlights the robustness of the bloc’s current infrastructure and storage capacity.
As of October 1, 2025, EU gas storage facilities were 83% full, matching pre-energy crisis levels. With this volume, the EU is expected to navigate the winter while retaining approximately 35% of its reserves by season’s end, facilitating replenishment during the following summer.
Source: Reuters
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