Tata Steel Netherlands summoned by Dutch prosecutors over pollution violations
Dutch prosecutors have summoned executives of Tata Steel’s Dutch arm over a case of “deliberate and unlawful” pollution, nearly four years after the country first launched an investigation to determine whether the steelmaker’s business posed a danger to residents in the Netherlands.
The Public Prosecution Service (OM) said in a statement on Wednesday that it suspected the company of “multiple criminal offences”. These include the unlawful release of harmful substances into the air, failure to fulfill maintenance duties through inadequate maintenance, operating without the necessary permits, and failure to report numerous incidents related to raw coke obtained by heating coal.
Prosecutors said the criminal investigation began in 2022 after an attorney filed a complaint on behalf of more than 800 people. The investigation focused on Tata Steel’s steelmaking process and the operation of its coke gas plants.
The investigation was carried out by the Intelligence and Investigation Service of the Inspectorate for the Human Environment and Transport (ILT-IOD), with support from the environmental crime investigation unit of the Hague police and the Central Environmental Management Service Rijnmond (DCMR).
The statement said, “After reviewing the case file, the Public Prosecutor’s Office is of the opinion that the criminal investigation provides sufficient grounds to initiate criminal prosecution against the company and take the case to court.”
Tata Steel did not immediately respond to this question mint questions.
The prosecutor’s office is also conducting a separate investigation to determine whether people in management positions can be held personally responsible.
First preliminary hearing scheduled for today November 20, 2026 In the Amsterdam District Court, where prosecutors will announce the final charges against Tata Steel IJmuiden.
The call comes less than two months after Tata Steel warned that its Dutch business continued to face a challenging regulatory environment. The company had said local authorities were considering revoking operating permits and pushing for the early closure of coke and gas plants at the IJmuiden site due to environmental concerns. Tata Steel Netherlands also said it had paid more than €20 million in penalties in FY26 related to emissions from its facilities.
In September last year, Tata Steel also signed a non-binding agreement with the Dutch government to receive financial assistance of up to €2 billion to reduce emissions at its plant in the Netherlands.
Tata Steel, India’s largest steelmaker, acquired both the IJmuiden mill and Port Talbot in the UK as part of its 2007 acquisition of Europe’s Corus Steel. The annual capacity of the IJmuiden facility is 7 million tons.
