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Reduction of methane emissions in the energy sector: postponement of certain obligations

TA-10-2026-0360 · P10_TA(2026)0360 · PE797.178

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Parliament's amended version of a proposed regulation postponing certain obligations under Regulation (EU) 2024/1787 on reducing methane emissions in the energy sector. It pushes back reporting and methane-intensity deadlines for operators, producers and importers, and adds rules for supplies from countries under restrictive measures.

Key points

  1. A new recital says the extra time responds to difficulties in securing compliant supply from reliable partners and should not benefit crude oil, natural gas or coal from third countries under restrictive measures adopted under Article 29 TEU or Article 215 TFEU.
  2. Operators and undertakings in the Union must report source-level and site-level methane emissions for operated assets by 5 February 2030 and for non-operated assets by 5 August 2031, then by 31 May each year.
  3. Data from continuous site-level monitoring systems meeting the required standards count as site-level measurements and satisfy the measurement campaign requirement.
  4. From 31 May 2031, importers must show that contracts concluded or renewed on or after 4 August 2024 cover only crude oil, natural gas or coal subject to equivalent monitoring, reporting and verification at producer level.
  5. From 31 May 2031, importers must annually inform competent authorities of the results of their efforts, and give justification and planned actions where they fail.
  6. From 5 August 2031, Union producers and importers must report the methane intensity of crude oil, natural gas and coal placed on the Union market, and report on efforts for older contracts.
  7. A new Article 29a sets earlier deadlines for fuels from third countries under restrictive measures: 31 May 2028 for importer demonstration, 5 August 2028 for methane-intensity reporting and 5 August 2030 for a further obligation.
  8. Importers must identify separately the volumes covered by Article 29a, including those in mixed cargoes, and the Commission must publish and update an indicative list of the third countries concerned.
  9. By 1 July 2029, the Commission must report to Parliament and the Council on implementation of Articles 27 to 29, covering penalty regimes, verifier accreditation, compliance solutions, implementing acts, reported information and security of supply, and may propose changes.
  10. The regulation enters into force on the day following its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.

Who is affected

  • Operators and undertakings established in the Union: later deadlines for reporting methane emissions from operated and non-operated assets.
  • Importers of crude oil, natural gas and coal: later deadlines to demonstrate equivalent monitoring and to report methane intensity.
  • Union producers of crude oil, natural gas and coal: later deadline to report methane intensity of production placed on the Union market.
  • Suppliers in third countries under restrictive measures: earlier deadlines and separate identification of their volumes.
  • The Commission: must publish a list of third countries concerned and report on implementation by 1 July 2029.

Figures and deadlines

  • 5 February 2030: deadline for reporting on operated assets.
  • 5 August 2031: deadline for reporting on non-operated assets.
  • 31 May 2031: deadline for importers to demonstrate equivalent monitoring measures.
  • 5 August 2031: deadline for producers and importers to report methane intensity.
  • 31 May 2028: deadline for importer demonstration for fuels from countries under restrictive measures.
  • 5 August 2028: deadline for methane-intensity reporting for those fuels.
  • 5 August 2030: deadline for the further obligation under Article 29a.
  • 1 July 2029: deadline for the Commission's implementation report.