European Parliament Pushes Back Methane Regulation Timeline

The parliamentary position, driven by amendments from the European People’s Party, pushes the compliance deadline for importers to prove their adherence to monitoring standards to 2031, shifting from the previously established 2027 target. Reporting requirements for methane intensity will face a similar postponement. A separate measure, backed by a coalition of Romanian and Bulgarian representatives, grants EU operators an additional three years, setting their new reporting deadline for 2030.

While the chamber rejected a far-right bid to scrap the regulation entirely, it did adopt a safeguard from Dutch Socialist MEP Mohammed Chahim. This provision ensures that the extended transition periods do not apply to fossil fuels imported from countries currently under EU sanctions, specifically targeting Russian energy supplies. With the European Council failing to reach a consensus on the matter just one day prior, these amendments now serve as the Parliament’s formal mandate for upcoming trilogue discussions.