The European Parliament has voted to delay EU methane rules for oil, gas and coal importers by three years. MEPs backed the position by 341 votes to 225, with 6 abstentions. That is two years longer than the European Commission proposed.
What changes in the EU methane rules
Under Parliament’s plan, importers would have until 31 May 2031 to meet the contract test. By then, new contracts must cover only fuel with EU-equivalent monitoring, reporting and verification. Similarly, the first methane intensity reports would move to 5 August 2031, from 5 August 2029. In addition, EU oil and gas operators would have three more years to submit their measurement reports.
Importers had warned they could not find enough compliant supply while Middle East conflict keeps prices high. However, MEPs refused extra time for imports from countries under EU sanctions. Instead, importers would report those volumes separately, including in mixed cargoes.
What happens next
Parliament can now start talks with the Council on the final law. Moreover, it wants the change to apply the day after publication. The Commission would also report on how the rules work by 1 July 2029.
For background, read our report on the original one-year delay and our analysis of what it means for LNG.
