Opinion on the Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on methane emissions reduction in the energy sector and amending Regulation (EU) 2019/942 (COM(2021)0805 - 2021/0423 (COD)

18.7.2022

Mr Pascal Canfin

Chair

Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety

Mr Cristian-Silviu Buşoi

Chair

Committee on the on Industry, Research and Energy

IPOL-COM-AGRI D(2022) 23270

Subject: Opinion on the Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on methane emissions reduction in the energy sector and amending Regulation (EU) 2019/942 (COM(2021)0805 - 2021/0423 (COD)

Dear Chairs,

Under the procedure referred to above, the Committee on Agriculture and Rural development (AGRI) has been asked to submit an opinion under Rule 56 to your committee.

On 15 June, AGRI Rapporteur Elsi Katainen chaired a meeting of AGRI shadows to consider the Commission proposal. They took note that this regulation does not directly affect the agricultural sector and biogas.

Methane from agriculture is emitted from completely different sources and under different situations when compared to those from the fossil energy sector, and these need to be accounted for separately.

Moreover, the impact of biogenic methane on global temperature, according to the emission accounting method, can be questioned. Therefore, applying a CO2 equivalent is an inappropriate means to measure methane emissions in the agricultural sector. Additionally, there is a need to distinguish short-cycle biogenic carbon from long-cycle carbon from fossil resource extraction.

Taking these findings into consideration, the Coordinators of the Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development at their meeting of 12 July 2022, asked me to convey their opinion, which I do in the form of this letter to you pursuant to Rule 56.

Yours sincerely,

Norbert Lins