A large part of the coal consumed in the Netherlands comes from the country of President Vladimir Putin. This is reported by the Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS).
In 2020, 43 percent of the coal and lignite that the Netherlands imported for its own use came from Russia, or 3.3 billion kilograms. These are the most recent coal import figures available to the statistical office.
The European Commission announced on Tuesday that it is seeking an import ban for Russian coal. That should become part of a larger package of new sanctions, which should also include a transaction ban on four Russian banks. A new sanctions package can only be implemented if all Member States unanimously agree to it.
‘Decent dependence’
Commission chairman Ursula von der Leyen said a ban on importing Russian oil is still under consideration. 29 percent of the crude oil that the Netherlands imported for its own use in 2020 came from Russia. For petroleum products, this is 14 percent.
Economist Marjolijn Jaarsma of Statistics Netherlands speaks of a “decent dependence” in the Netherlands on Russia when it comes to coal and oil.
Tata Steel, the steel group behind the blast furnace complex in IJmuiden, does not foresee any problems if the European Union introduces an import ban for Russian coal. A spokeswoman said that the company had recently decided not to get the coal for steel production from Russia from now on.