London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Wednesday, Jul 30, 2025

The Netherlands to leave embattled Energy Charter Treaty

The Netherlands to leave embattled Energy Charter Treaty

Decision pushes the energy pact closer to a full European withdrawal.
The Energy Charter Treaty (ECT) edged closer to a full-blown European revolt Tuesday, as the Netherlands became the latest country to announce it would withdraw from the deal.

Dutch Minister for Climate and Energy Policy Rob Jetten announced the decision in the parliament on Tuesday. Spain made a similar call last week, with Poland also in the process of withdrawal. Italy has quit.

"A number of countries have now taken concrete steps to terminate their membership, and I'm going to look at how the Netherlands can best align with that as well," said Jetten. A spokesperson for Jetten confirmed to POLITICO that the decision to leave the deal was final.

Asked whether the Netherlands was cooperating with Spain and others to organize a mass EU withdrawal, the spokesperson said there was no formal coordination yet but said: "There are all sorts of conversations going on."

The deal has been under fire for the protections it offers to fossil fuel projects, allowing investors to sue governments in closed tribunals over policies directed at cutting emissions.

The Netherlands has been hit by two lawsuits under the treaty from coal plant operators pursuing the government for lost profits due to the country's plan to phase out the polluting fuel. One of those suits involves German utility Uniper, which has said it would drop the case if the German government takes a stake in the troubled company.

An attempt by the EU to reform the deal was resisted by the other members of the 50-plus-country treaty. The EU and U.K. instead won exemptions that allowed them to phase out protections for coal, oil and gas over 10 years.

Jetten said there had been improvements, but added: "We do not see how the ECT has been sufficiently aligned with the Paris Agreement." The secretary-general of the treaty, Guy Lentz, hit back at similar criticisms on Monday in an expletive-ridden tirade on Twitter, before deleting his account.

The reform proposal needs to be accepted by the EU. The Netherlands won't vote it down, the spokesperson for Jetten said, despite the country leaving the deal.

A French energy ministry spokesperson told POLITICO that the government was currently assessing the results of the reform process and if the conclusion was that the changes did not “match our ambitions and objectives” then France would “also consider a coordinated withdrawal from the ECT.” A final decision is due in days.

"It is a very significant decision," said Green MEP Anna Cavazzini, noting the Netherlands was once "one of the staunchest" backers of the investor-state dispute tribunals employed by the ECT.

"This decision to exit the ECT will create shockwaves through the whole system," she said. “The message is clear: The world has changed. States cannot accept a blanket protection of dirty investments anymore."
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Former Judge Charged After Drunk Driving Crash Kills Comedian in Brazil
Jeff Bezos hasn’t paid a dollar in taxes for decades. He makes billions and pays $0 in taxes, LEGALLY
China Increases Use of Exit Bans Amid Rising U.S. Tensions
IMF Upgrades Global Growth Forecast as Weaker Dollar Supports Outlook
Procter & Gamble to Raise U.S. Prices to Offset One‑Billion‑Dollar Tariff Cost
House Republicans Move to Defund OECD Over Global Tax Dispute
Botswana Seeks Controlling Stake in De Beers as Anglo American Prepares Exit
Trump Administration Proposes Repeal of Obama‑Era Endangerment Finding, Dismantling Regulatory Basis for CO₂ Emissions Limits
France Opens Criminal Investigation into X Over Algorithm Manipulation Allegations
A family has been arrested in the UK for displaying the British flag
Mel Gibson refuses to work with Robert De Niro, saying, "Keep that woke clown away from me."
Trump Steamrolls EU in Landmark Trade Win: US–EU Trade Deal Imposes 15% Tariff on European Imports
ChatGPT CEO Sam Altman says people share personal info with ChatGPT but don’t know chats can be used as court evidence in legal cases.
The British propaganda channel BBC News lies again.
Deputy attorney general's second day of meeting with Ghislaine Maxwell has concluded
Controversial March in Switzerland Features Men Dressed in Nazi Uniforms
Politics is a good business: Barack Obama’s Reported Net Worth Growth, 1990–2025
Thai Civilian Death Toll Rises to 12 in Cambodian Cross-Border Attacks
TSUNAMI: Trump Just Crossed the Rubicon—And There’s No Turning Back
Over 120 Criminal Cases Dismissed in Boston Amid Public Defender Shortage
UN's Top Court Declares Environmental Protection a Legal Obligation Under International Law
"Crazy Thing": OpenAI's Sam Altman Warns Of AI Voice Fraud Crisis In Banking
The Podcaster Who Accidentally Revealed He Earns Over $10 Million a Year
Trump Announces $550 Billion Japanese Investment and New Trade Agreements with Indonesia and the Philippines
US Treasury Secretary Calls for Institutional Review of Federal Reserve Amid AI‑Driven Growth Expectations
UK Government Considers Dropping Demand for Apple Encryption Backdoor
Severe Flooding in South Korea Claims Lives Amid Ongoing Rescue Operations
Japanese Man Discovers Family Connection Through DNA Testing After Decades of Separation
Russia Signals Openness to Ukraine Peace Talks Amid Escalating Drone Warfare
Switzerland Implements Ban on Mammography Screening
Japanese Prime Minister Vows to Stay After Coalition Loses Upper House Majority
Pogacar Extends Dominance with Stage Fifteen Triumph at Tour de France
CEO Resigns Amid Controversy Over Relationship with HR Executive
Man Dies After Being Pulled Into MRI Machine Due to Metal Chain in New York Clinic
NVIDIA Achieves $4 Trillion Valuation Amid AI Demand
US Revokes Visas of Brazilian Corrupted Judges Amid Fake Bolsonaro Investigation
U.S. Congress Approves Rescissions Act Cutting Federal Funding for NPR and PBS
North Korea Restricts Foreign Tourist Access to New Seaside Resort
Brazil's Supreme Court Imposes Radical Restrictions on Former President Bolsonaro
Centrist Criticism of von der Leyen Resurfaces as she Survives EU Confidence Vote
Judge Criticizes DOJ Over Secrecy in Dropping Charges Against Gang Leader
Apple Closes $16.5 Billion Tax Dispute With Ireland
Von der Leyen Faces Setback Over €2 Trillion EU Budget Proposal
UK and Germany Collaborate on Global Military Equipment Sales
Trump Plans Over 10% Tariffs on African and Caribbean Nations
Flying Taxi CEO Reclaims Billionaire Status After Stock Surge
Epstein Files Deepen Republican Party Divide
Zuckerberg Faces $8 Billion Privacy Lawsuit From Meta Shareholders
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
SpaceX Nears $400 Billion Valuation With New Share Sale
×