Kazakhstan secures lifting of EU ban on coal transit via Russian ports

Kazakhstan has reached an agreement with the European Commission to lift a ban on the transit of its coal through certain Russian ports, the country’s trade ministry said on Tuesday.

The restriction was introduced in February 2025 under the European Union’s 16th sanctions package, banning transactions with several Russian ports. According to the ministry, the measure had threatened the stability of Kazakhstan’s coal exports to Europe, particularly via Ust-Luga, a key transit hub.

Following negotiations, amendments in the EU’s 18th sanctions package now exempts certain Russian ports from the ban for coal of exclusively Kazakh origin. The cargo must be owned by entities not subject to EU sanctions, and ports can only be used for transit, loading or shipment – not for purchasing or producing the coal.

Kazakhstan exported 5.2 million tonnes of coal to the EU in 2024, down from 6.1 million tonnes in 2023. Between January and May 2025, exports amounted to 1.6 million tonnes.

The ministry said the new arrangement should help restore supplies to the EU and strengthen the resilience of logistics routes for Kazakh coal exports.

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