weighted score 4.2 · nine dimensions
Country Risk Profile
Qatar
Sourcing risk, regulatory exposure and audit intelligence for Qatar-origin supply chains.
Forced & child labour
5
Kafala reforms in progress but implementation gaps remain. ILO technical cooperation since 2018. Migrant worker conditions improved post-World Cup but enforcement concerns persist.
Worker rights & FOA
6
ILO C087 not ratified. Independent trade unions not permitted. Workers' committees have limited powers. Exit permits abolished but freedom of association remains restricted.
OHS & audit transparency
4
Occupational health standards improved following World Cup reforms. Heat stress regulations introduced. International audit access is generally permitted. Construction sector OHS has improved.
Food & product safety
2
Qatar imports most food and consumer goods. Food safety authority (MOPH) operates inspection frameworks. Low RASFF alert rate for Qatar-origin goods due to limited food exports to EU.
Environmental & regulatory
2
Limited EUDR exposure — Qatar does not export significant forestry or agricultural commodities. No active IUU card. Environmental risk primarily relates to hydrocarbon operations.
Governance & anti-corruption
4
TI CPI 2025: 58. Not on FATF grey list. Autocratic governance but institutional stability. QFC provides common law framework for financial services. Moderate governance quality by regional standards.
Tariff & preferential access
7
No EU-GCC FTA. MFN tariffs apply. LNG exports not subject to standard tariff frameworks. Aluminium exports face CBAM from 2026. GCC common tariff (5%) on imports.
Non-tariff barriers
4
CBAM applies to aluminium exports from 2026. LNG faces energy-specific regulatory frameworks rather than standard trade barriers. Limited non-tariff friction for primary exports.
Supply chain traceability
4
LNG and petrochemical supply chains are relatively transparent (limited number of producers). Migrant labour supply chains in construction and services have lower traceability for labour conditions.
Labour & Social Risk
Labour & Social Risk
- Kafala system reforms
- Qatar abolished exit permits and introduced a non-discriminatory minimum wage (QAR 1,000/month) as part of 2020-2025 labour reforms. Workers can now change employers without employer consent. Implementation and enforcement remain areas of international scrutiny.
- Forced labour risk
- Post-World Cup scrutiny highlighted migrant worker conditions in construction and hospitality. ILO has maintained a technical cooperation programme with Qatar since 2018. Wage theft and excessive working hours remain documented concerns.
- ILO conventions
- Qatar has ratified several core ILO conventions but has not ratified C087 (Freedom of Association). Independent trade unions are not permitted. Workers' committees exist in companies with 30+ employees but have limited powers.
- Sectors at elevated risk
- Construction, domestic work, hospitality, and security services remain sectors with documented labour rights concerns for migrant workers despite legislative reforms.
- ILAB status
- Qatar does not appear on the ILAB List of Goods Produced by Child or Forced Labor as of 2024, though migrant labour conditions continue to attract international monitoring.
EU Regulatory Exposure
EU Regulatory Exposure
- Trade framework
- No EU-GCC FTA in force. Standard MFN tariffs apply to Qatar-origin goods entering the EU. Qatar's primary exports to Europe are LNG and petrochemicals, which face separate energy market regulatory frameworks.
- LNG regulatory exposure
- Qatar supplies approximately 15-20% of EU LNG imports. EU energy security frameworks increasingly reference supply diversification, but Qatar remains a critical supplier especially post-Russia pivot.
- CBAM exposure
- Qatar exports aluminium (Qatalum ~640,000 tonnes/year) which falls under EU CBAM from 2026. Aluminium produced using gas-fired power will face carbon border adjustment declarations.
- EU Forced Labour Regulation
- Regulation (EU) 2024/3015 applies from December 2027. Qatar's labour reform progress reduces but does not eliminate risk of investigation for goods produced with migrant labour.
- Anti-money laundering
- Qatar is not on the FATF grey list as of 2025. Qatar Financial Information Unit operates anti-money laundering supervision. TI CPI score of 58 suggests moderate governance quality.
Logistics & Supply Chain
Logistics & Supply Chain
- Primary export corridor
- Persian Gulf → Strait of Hormuz → Indian Ocean → Suez Canal → EU ports (LNG and petrochemicals)
- Key transit chokepoints
- Strait of Hormuz (critical — all Qatar maritime exports transit through Hormuz), Suez Canal
- Main EU destination ports
- LNG terminals: Zeebrugge, Montoir-de-Bretagne, Revithoussa, Gate (Rotterdam)
- Typical transit time
- LNG carriers: 12-16 days to Mediterranean, 18-22 days to Northwest Europe
- Scope 3 relevance
- LNG lifecycle emissions include extraction, liquefaction, shipping, and regasification. Qatar's carbon intensity per unit LNG is competitive but total volumes are globally significant.