Photo: gov.kz
Kazakh authorities have reached an agreement with the European Union to exempt transactions involving Russian ports from sanctions, enabling the transit of Kazakh coal to EU countries. The announcement came from Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Trade and Integration.
The EU had imposed a ban on transactions involving several Russian ports in February 2025 as part of its 16th sanctions package, jeopardizing the stability of Kazakhstan’s coal exports to Europe. “For instance, the port of Ust-Luga has historically served as a key transit point for Kazakh coal heading to Europe,” the ministry said in a statement.
In response, Kazakh officials entered into negotiations with EU representatives and formally petitioned the European Commission to amend the sanctions framework.
“As a result of the negotiations, the 18th sanctions package includes amendments that allow exemptions for certain Russian ports used to transit Kazakh coal,” the ministry stated.
Under the revised terms, the coal must be of exclusively Kazakh origin, must not be owned by sanctioned entities, and the ports may only serve as transit, loading, or dispatch points.
In 2022, Kazakhstan exported 4.4 million tons of coal to the EU, worth $419.2 million—representing 45 percent of its total coal exports. In 2023, the figure rose to 6.1 million tons worth $382 million (54.3 percent), and in 2024, to 5.2 million tons worth $312.5 million (51.8 percent). So far in 2025, coal exports to the EU have dropped to just 1.6 million tons worth $82.9 million, or 38.5 percent of total coal exports. Kazakh authorities hope the newly adopted amendments will help restore previous export volumes.
