Poland bars coal imports from Russia

[Elderberry]

AP 3/29/2022

 Poland’s government has decided to block imports of coal from Russia, part of an overarching strategy to reduce energy dependence that gained new urgency after Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine.

Poland will impose financial penalties on any private entities importing Russian coal into Poland, with Polish customs officials carrying out checks, government spokesman Piotr Mueller said as he announced the new policy on Tuesday.

He added that Poland could no longer wait for the whole 27-nation European Union to embrace the policy.

More: https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-business-poland-europe-moscow-4eed1f29b858e56c9719b4c0271bb75f

[Right_in_Virginia]

Does the EU get a vote?

[Wingnut]

We have lots of coal we can ship them.

[Elderberry]

Does the EU get a vote?

Of course. Whenever they get around to it.

government spokesman Piotr Mueller said as he announced the new policy on Tuesday.

He added that Poland could no longer wait for the whole 27-nation European Union to embrace the policy.

[DB]

Does the EU get a vote?

Why should they?

[GtHawk]

If Poland is the second-largest coal-mining country in Europe, why are they importing coal from Russia?

[Right_in_Virginia]

Why should they?

Because the EU is supposed to operate as a single market @DB

[DB]

Because the EU is supposed to operate as a single market @DB

This is coal Poland was importing. It has no effect on other members.

[GtHawk]

This is coal Poland was importing. It has no effect on other members.

That's the magic of the EU the big members can tell the small members what to do or face severe economic sanctions. I wonder how long before the former east block countries tell Brussel to stuff it and form their own union, they have more conservative and anti socialist values than the major EU members.

[DB]

That's the magic of the EU the big members can tell the small members what to do or face severe economic sanctions. I wonder how long before the former east block countries tell Brussel to stuff it and form their own union, they have more conservative and anti socialist values than the major EU members.

No one can tell California what other countries they have to buy supplies from. If they don't want to buy something from Mexico they don't have to for example. Buying things is a voluntary action based on the perceived cost benefit tradeoffs. If Russia were a member of the EU that might be different but they are not.

[Right_in_Virginia]

No one can tell California what other countries they have to buy supplies from. If they don't want to buy something from Mexico they don't have to for example. Buying things is a voluntary action based on the perceived cost benefit tradeoffs. If Russia were a member of the EU that might be different but they are not.

(Polish) Ministers have made clear that they want to ban this trade, but note that the vast majority of Russian coal is imported by private companies.

That makes it hard for the government to intervene, as any trade ban would be likely to contravene EU rules. Soon after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Morawiecki appealed to the European Commission to give permission for an embargo to be imposed.

However, in the early stages of drafting EU sanctions against Moscow after the invasion of Ukraine, Germany blocked a proposal to ban the import of Russian coal, according to two inside sources cited by Reuters last week.

https://notesfrompoland.com/2022/03/29/poland-to-ban-russian-coal-imports-saying-it-cant-wait-any-long-for-eu-to-act/ 

Poland had earlier insisted it would first need approval from the European Commission — which has competence over the EU's trade — to block coal, but said Tuesday it would move on its own.

“We do realize that this [the ban] might be legally questionable. These doubts are justified but we can’t keep on waiting for the reaction of the EU,” Müller said. “I admit with regret that the EU hasn’t decided on such a measure."

He added Warsaw was worried about being hauled before the Court of Justice of the EU for its decision.

The European Commission did not reply to a request for comment.

https://www.politico.eu/article/poland-to-ban-russian-coal-imports/