EU must ensure one year does not become rolling delay to methane regulation
This morning, EU governments have backed a one-year delay to key requirements of the EU Methane Regulation, alongside a review mechanism that could open the door to further postponement.
On October 14th, the European Commission proposed a targeted amendment to postpone by one year provisions related to importers citing the need to alleviate pressure on EU industry and national administrations. The amendment concerned the monitoring, reporting, and verification obligations for natural gas, oil, and coal importers, and provisions related to reporting on methane-intensity requirements for importers and Union producers. Under the ordinary legislative procedure, the Parliament backed a three-year delay. By contrast,Council today agreed a position that avoids such a prolonged postponement, but gave the Commission the mandate to postpone the import-related obligations if the necessary elements for implementation are not met.
But continued uncertainty would weaken investment signals and postpone action under the world’s only binding methane import standard.
Pablo Lopez Legarreta, Europe Policy Manager, Methane Pollution Prevention at Clean Air Task Force, said:
“The Council’s decision to limit the delay to one year instead of three is a step in the right direction, but one year must mean one year. Europe needs a genuine implementation period, not a rolling mechanism for continued delay.
The remaining implementation gaps are known and can be fixed. The next year should be used to accredit verifiers, establish predictable penalties and give companies the certainty they need to prepare.
A review should hold governments and the Commission accountable for delivering that work. It should not reward a failure to act with another delay.”
Methane is responsible for nearly a third of current warming. Because it remains in the atmosphere for much less time than carbon dioxide, reducing methane emissions is one of the fastest ways to slow warming within our lifetimes.
The evidence shows that implementation challenges do not justify repeated delays. CATF’s response to the proposed one-year delay identifies practical steps to close the remaining gaps, while CATF’s analysis of industry claims explains why arguments for a blanket three-year postponement do not withstand scrutiny. This week, more than 30 civil-society organisations urged the Commission to reject wider weakening and withdraw its proposal if the final deal undermines the Regulation’s core purpose.
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About Clean Air Task Force
Clean Air Task Force (CATF) is a global climate organisation working to advance the full range of solutions needed for a healthy climate and a thriving planet. Founded in 1996, CATF conducts research and analysis to identify promising solutions, then works across governments, industry, and partners in more than 40 countries to deliver them at scale. It takes no funding from governments or the industries it works to influence, so its analysis and advocacy follows the facts. Over 30 years, its work has helped shape major climate and energy policy around the world. CATF is consistently recognised as one of the most effective climate organisations in the world by independent evaluators including Giving Green and Founders Pledge. Learn more at cleanairtaskforce.org.
