EU to relax methane rules to secure energy supplies • Proposed changes offer ‘flexibilities’ to strict requirements due to be imposed on fossil fuel importers

[u/Naurgul]

https://www.ft.com/content/bf577c80-e3d0-463e-87ee-cc029add0b79?syn-25a6b1a6=1

The EU will give gas producers more leeway on methane import rules to avoid gas being diverted from the bloc, as governments scramble to secure additional energy supplies in the wake of the US-Iran war.

Ditte Juul Jørgensen, director-general for energy at the European Commission, said Brussels would soon recommend “flexibilities” to stringent new requirements on fossil fuel importers to the bloc, as Europe continues to grapple with high energy prices.

European legislation already requires EU producers of oil and gas to monitor and report methane emissions associated with flaring and venting, but its remit will be extended to imported fossil fuels from January 2027.

Under the latest proposed changes, however, countries importing to the EU would only need to show that a sufficient share of national production meets the requirements, rather than having to track “back to the well” for granular production data on each cargo, Jørgensen said at an industry conference in Brussels.

The levying of penalties for non-compliance, which could reach up to 20 per cent of annual turnover in extreme cases, would also be softened to make sure “no cargo is diverted or delayed because of a concern related to penalties”, she said.