The EU Commission has proposed to the 27 EU member states that they refrain from imposing fines for the time being regarding the tightening of import rules for oil and gas scheduled for January 2027. “Member states are advised to suspend sanctions for non-compliance for three years in order to avoid supply disruptions,” the Brussels-based authority stated on Monday. The so-called Methane Regulation aims to prevent the import into Europe of fossil fuels produced in a climate-damaging manner.
The greenhouse gas methane is frequently released during oil and gas extraction. Under the Methane Regulation, which entered into force in August 2024, methane emissions along the supply chain must be addressed. This measure is part of the EU’s efforts to reduce member states’ greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55 percent by 2030.
Stricter rules are set to apply to imported gas and oil starting in 2027. For new import contracts, suppliers will be required to meet the same monitoring, reporting, and verification obligations as EU producers. EU member states are expected to penalize violations—for instance, through fines. However, according to the Commission, most EU countries have not yet introduced sanction mechanisms.
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In June, several member states called in a joint letter for the new rules to be postponed by at least three years. Germany was not among them; however, Federal State Secretary Katharina Reiche (CDU) had previously spoken out repeatedly against the methane regulation, citing concerns regarding Germany’s security of supply.
Federal Environment Minister Carsten Schneider (SPD), however, took a position contrary to that of his cabinet colleague during the debate. Schneider’s ministry is responsible for implementing the regulation. Responsibility for import controls, meanwhile, lies with the Federal Office for Economic Affairs and Export Control (BAFA), which operates under the Ministry of Economic Affairs.
With the recommendation it has now published, the EU Commission is formally sticking to the 2027 implementation date but is offering companies and member states some flexibility. The Brussels-based authority justifies this move by pointing to the geopolitical situation resulting from the conflict involving Iran. The EU is heavily dependent on foreign energy sources; in 2024, it imported nearly 60 percent of the energy consumed within the bloc.
In April, environmental organizations called for the “rapid implementation” of the methane regulation. They generally criticize the weakening of environmental regulations adopted during the first term of EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
Around 60 percent of global methane emissions—an odorless and invisible gas—stem from human activities, primarily agriculture, followed by the energy sector. Methane has a significantly greater impact on global warming than CO2.
Author: AFP – ma/pe
Sources: AFP Press Portal