EU to Delay Methane Rules for Oil and Gas Imports by One Year

The European Union is planning to push back its new methane rules for oil and gas imports by one year. EU energy chief Dan Jorgensen announced the plan on Tuesday. The rules were supposed to start on January 1, 2027, and would make foreign energy sellers track and report how much methane they release. Jorgensen said the delay would not last longer than one year, even though some countries have asked for more time.

Methane is a powerful greenhouse gas that traps heat in the atmosphere. It is the second-biggest cause of climate change, right after carbon dioxide. The EU's methane law was the first rule of its kind anywhere in the world, and it was designed to help fight climate change by cutting methane releases from oil and gas supplies.

However, the law has come under growing pressure. A war involving Iran has shaken up global energy supplies and made many Europeans worried about having enough fuel this winter. That fear has led several countries, and even the United States, to push the EU to slow down or roll back the new rules.

French President Emmanuel Macron asked for a one-year delay last month. He said the rules could cause legal problems for energy importers as fuel becomes harder to find. About a dozen other EU countries agreed, and some — like Czechia and Italy — went further and asked for a three-year delay.

People who support the pause say energy companies are simply not ready to follow the new rules yet. They also warn that ships carrying liquefied natural gas, known as LNG, might avoid coming to Europe if they risk getting penalized. The United States, Europe's biggest LNG supplier, has also urged the EU to hold off.

Jorgensen told the European Parliament he was exploring a delay of the import parts of the law. He made clear, however, that the pause should not go beyond one year. He added that EU governments should use that time to prepare to enforce the rules once the delay is over.

The European Commission has not yet said exactly when it will propose the change. Some EU officials believe that could happen as soon as next week. Any update to the law must be approved by both EU member states and the European Parliament before it takes effect. Officials also noted it has been hard to know if the rules are already affecting energy deals, since most contract details are not made public.