European Commission plans to recommend delaying penalties under the EU Methane Regulation for fossil fuel importers as US and Qatar pressure mounts

The European Commission is preparing to issue non-binding recommendations that would effectively delay the application of penalties under the EU Methane Regulation (EUMR) for fossil fuel importers that fail to meet the regulation's compliance standards. The move, confirmed by Celine Gauer, the Commission's new director general for energy, comes after 17 of the EU's 27 member states called last month for targeted amendments to the import-related provisions. Under the current framework, from 2027 fossil fuel imports into the EU must comply with monitoring, reporting, and verification (MRV) requirements aimed at reducing methane emissions, a greenhouse gas with roughly 80 times the short-term warming potential of carbon dioxide. By 2030, imports exceeding a methane-intensity threshold would face financial penalties of up to 20% of annual turnover. The Commission declined to formally revise the regulation, but will instead issue two recommendations urging member states not to apply penalties during an adjustment period. Gauer described this as a legally sound approach because recommendations adopted by the Commission are directly relevant for national courts. Ireland, holding the EU's rotating presidency, has convened a Wednesday discussion among member state representatives on the EUMR's impact on energy security of supply. The United States, now Europe's largest supplier of liquefied natural gas (LNG), and Qatar have both warned that their supplies could be diverted away from the EU if compliance costs are not eased. Industry participants, including companies from the chemicals, oil and gas, and energy trading sectors, have cited verification as the primary bottleneck, pointing to a shortage of recognised protocols and accredited verification bodies. Countries including the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Belgium, Italy, Poland, and Sweden have previously called for a three-year delay to the importer requirements.