The European Parliament voted on Thursday to postpone the EU's methane regulations by three years, until 2031, a move that goes further than the European Commission's proposed one-year delay. The decision, backed by the centre-right European People's Party (EPP), reflects growing tensions between climate ambitions and concerns over energy security and industrial competitiveness.
The EU's methane regulation, adopted in May 2024, requires importers of fossil fuels to demonstrate that their suppliers outside the bloc meet equivalent standards for monitoring, reporting, and verifying methane emissions. The new timeline gives energy companies more time to comply, but critics argue it weakens the bloc's climate commitments.
Political divisions and industry pressure
The Commission had proposed a one-year delay following pressure from the oil and gas industry and several EU member states, recently joined by France. They cited concerns over energy security and high prices amid disruptions to key shipping routes in the Middle East. However, the EPP pushed for a longer postponement, with Romanian MEP Virgil Popescu, a former energy minister, calling for a three-year extension to ease the burden on domestic producers, including those operating older wells.
Parliament President Roberta Metsola defended the vote, writing on X: "The Parliament swiftly voted in favour of postponing certain obligations under the EU Methane Regulation, giving energy companies more time to prepare for the new rules. A more realistic timeline, effective implementation and continued progress on cutting emissions."
Christian Ehler, the EPP's spokesman on industry and energy, described the Commission's one-year delay as "far from sufficient" and noted that at least 15 EU countries had backed a three-year postponement. "This is not about increasing or permitting further methane emissions, it is about security of supply and lower energy prices," he said.
The vote highlights a broader debate over how far the EU should go in softening environmental rules to protect industries and consumers. The Social Democrats and Liberals supported the Commission's one-year delay, while the Greens and the Left called for sticking to the original 2029 timeline.
Jutta Paulus, a Greens/EFA MEP and lead negotiator on the methane regulation, accused the Commission of bowing to industry pressure. "With the announcement of the delay, the fossil fuel lobby has smelt blood and is already making further demands. Suspending the Methane Regulation now puts Europe’s climate targets at risk and opens the door to further weakening of the rules," she said.
Under the EPP-backed proposal, the Commission would also assess in mid-2029 whether further changes are needed if companies continue to face compliance difficulties or security of supply concerns persist. Greek MEP Dimitris Tsiodras argued that the three-year postponement provides "greater legal certainty, allowing verification systems to become fully operational and ensuring equal treatment of EU producers and importers."
The legislation is being processed under an urgent procedure, with the aim of bringing the changes into force before the end of the year. This urgency reflects the political sensitivity of the issue, as EU member states struggle with high energy prices and supply disruptions.
Environmental groups have condemned the delay, arguing that it will not address supply or pricing issues. The European Civil Society Observatory on Methane stated that "global supply shocks and Europe's dependence on fossil fuels are driving current market pressures." The group estimates that full and timely implementation of the rules could generate around €704 billion in climate, health, and economic benefits, against regulatory costs of €49 billion, and prevent an estimated 155,000 premature deaths worldwide by 2030.
Climate Action Network (CAN) Europe said the EU is responsible for the harm caused by dirty fossil gas extraction and imports. The decision also comes as the EU faces pressure from the US, its largest liquefied natural gas (LNG) supplier, to ease compliance requirements.
The vote underscores the delicate balance the EU must strike between its climate leadership and the practical challenges of energy security. As the bloc navigates these tensions, the outcome of this delay will be closely watched by both industry and environmental advocates. For more on related energy and climate debates, see UK's approval of gas drilling and the UN's latest emissions report.
