Following the European Commission’s announcement of a proposed delay to the EU Methane Regulation for imported fossil fuels, a coalition of over 50 organisations warns that postponing methane rules will not address Europe’s energy security and affordability challenges. The Regulation did not cause the current energy price crisis or supply disruptions, and delaying its implementation will not solve them.
As EU leaders meet in Brussels for the European Council to discuss, among other issues, the proposed delay to the EU Methane Regulation, the European Civil Society Observatory on Methane (CSO-M) urges them to prioritise implementation and deliver the energy security, climate and transparency benefits the law was designed to achieve.
Methane is a short-lived super pollutant responsible for around one-third of current global warming. As public mobilisation for ambitious climate action grows, with 60,000 citizens taking to the streets of Brussels last Sunday, the urgency to act is clear, and the EU cannot afford to delay one of the fastest and most cost-effective ways to tackle the climate crisis and strengthen energy security.
The fossil fuel sector offers some of the greatest opportunities for cuts: more than 200 billion cubic metres of gas are wasted globally each year through methane leaks, venting and flaring – equivalent to around two-thirds of the EU’s annual gas consumption. Europe cannot improve energy security by delaying measures designed to reduce energy waste.
Global supply shocks and Europe’s dependence on fossil fuels are driving current market pressures. There is no evidence that delaying the Regulation will increase gas supplies, lower prices or improve market stability, as the Commission itself has acknowledged. Reopening legislation agreed just two years ago risks undermining regulatory certainty and penalising companies and producing countries that have already invested in methane monitoring and reporting systems.
Delaying and weakening the EU Methane Regulation would also carry a heavy human and economic cost. According to new analysis by DIW Econ, full and timely implementation could deliver around €704 billion in climate, health and economic benefits, compared with €49 billion in regulatory costs. The Regulation could also prevent an estimated 155,000 premature deaths worldwide by 2030. By contrast, a three-year delay coupled with weaker methane requirements would forfeit about a quarter of these benefits, resulting in an additional €185 billion in damages and around 40,000 more premature deaths.
Strong support from the public, investors and transatlantic civil society organizations reinforces the need to safeguard EU methane rules. The CSO-M coalition calls on the European Commission and Member States to:
Protect the Regulation’s ambition. The Commission’s proposal already goes beyond a one-year delay for MRV equivalence reporting and extends the postponement to methane intensity requirements. Significant flexibility has already been provided, including a three-year suspension of penalties. The priority must now be implementation, not further concessions.
Prevent further weakening during negotiations. The Commission’s proposal already introduces substantial changes to the implementation timeline. Member States and the European Parliament must ensure a controlled and expedited legislative process, avoiding broader renegotiation of the Regulation, additional delays or weakening of its substantive requirements.
Accelerate implementation. Member States and the Commission must take responsibility for this proposed delay and create the needed incentives for a continuous implementation of the obligations that are already in force. In parallel, they must take responsibility for resolving technical challenges, including verification, accreditation and certification, and ensuring their competent authorities are fully operational. The Commission should support consistent implementation by adopting the missing delegated acts and through guidance and coordination, while industry must use the additional time to prepare for compliance.
Esther Bollendorff, Fossil Free Programme Manager at Climate Action Network (CAN) Europe, said:
“Delaying the EU Methane Regulation makes no economic or strategic sense. At a time of yet another energy price crisis and tensions on the gas market, methane mitigation could unlock over 40 bcm of gas from the EU’s main fossil fuel suppliers – more than half the volume of US LNG imported by the EU in 2025.
The US war on Iran has already added billions to the EU’s fossil fuel import bill, making it clear that the answer to high prices is to end fossil fuel dependence, not to weaken methane rules. Postponing methane obligations for importers is yet another concession to industry pressure and to the US energy dominance agenda. The EU should implement the agreed regulation and make methane mitigation integral to the inevitable need to phase out fossil fuels, and gas in particular.”
Read the full Press Release here.