Full Breakdown
EU Grants Exporters One-Year Flexibility on Methane Rules
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Announcement
On October 6, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen told the European Parliament that exporters of methane will receive an additional year of flexibility before the EU’s methane regulation takes effect. She linked the measure to the bloc’s effort to ease pressure from soaring energy costs and said the Commission would launch a strategic dialogue on European refineries and propose actions to raise electricity’s share of overall energy demand.
Background and Regulatory Timeline
The EU methane regulation, which entered into force on January 1, 2027, obliges EU importers to verify that foreign producers monitor, report and verify methane emissions to standards comparable with those in the EU. Several member states, led by the Czech Republic, have argued that many third-country producers lack the necessary measuring equipment and independent verifiers to meet the deadline. In April, Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babiš raised the issue, and in June the Czech-Slovak coalition submitted a non-paper calling for a three-year postponement of key obligations.
Official Responses
Energy Commissioner Dan Jørgensen, speaking on October 5, clarified that the Commission cannot unilaterally postpone the regulation’s application, emphasizing that any amendment would require approval by the European Parliament and the Council. Von der Leyen also announced that a strategic dialogue on refineries, chaired by Jørgensen and Defence Commissioner Andrius Kubilius, would address cost pressures, and a task-force would coordinate energy-demand pooling across the bloc.
Criticism and Economic Context
Spain publicly opposed any delay, while climate experts and investors warned that weakening the law could undermine its ambition. The United States and gas exporters such as Qatar have also lobbied for a postponement. Von der Leyen highlighted that gas prices have risen by 140 percent since the end of February and diesel prices have doubled, costing Europe an additional €100 billion in imported fossil-fuel expenses without adding energy output. She stressed that support for households must remain targeted and avoid blanket handouts.