Skip to content
Adopted text

Methane emissions reduction in the energy sector

TA-9-2023-0127 · P9_TA(2023)0127 · PE736.476

Official HTML ↗ PDF DOCX
✦ In shortFull text
✦ In short · AI summary of this text, generated 26 Sept 2026

Written by a language model from the full text only; every figure comes from the text. The paragraph links open the paragraph a statement rests on — check the text itself before relying on it.

Parliament's amended version of a proposed regulation on methane emissions reduction in the energy sector. It lays down rules for measuring, quantifying, monitoring, reporting and verifying methane emissions in oil, fossil gas and coal, and for abating them through leak detection and repair and limits on venting and flaring. It adds petrochemicals to the scope, sets a Union methane emission reduction target to be proposed by 31 December 2025, and requires importers to show that exporters meet comparable measurement, reporting, verification, leak detection and repair and venting and flaring rules from 1 January 2026. It bans routine flaring and venting except in emergencies, malfunction or specific situations, requires flare stacks to reach at least 99% destruction and removal efficiency, and phases out venting and flaring in coal mines. It requires Member States to inventory inactive wells and closed and abandoned coal mines, install measurement equipment, and draw up mitigation plans, and sets penalties for infringements.

Key points

  1. The regulation covers oil and fossil gas upstream exploration and production, gathering and processing, transmission, distribution, underground storage and liquefied fossil gas terminals, petrochemicals, and operating, closed and abandoned underground coal mines.
  2. It requires accurate measurement, quantification, monitoring, reporting and verification of methane emissions, and abatement through leak detection and repair surveys and restrictions on venting and flaring.
  3. The Commission must propose a 2030 Union binding methane emission reduction target covering all relevant emitting sectors by 31 December 2025, based on an impact assessment.
  4. Operators must report source-level methane emissions using at least generic emission factors within 10 months of entry into force, then direct measurements for operated assets within 12 months and non-operated assets within 24 months.
  5. Operators must carry out leak detection and repair surveys at frequencies of once every two, four or five months depending on component type and detection limit, and repair or replace leaking components immediately or within five days.
  6. Venting and flaring are allowed only in emergencies, malfunction or specific situations such as pneumatic devices, storage tank gauging and maintenance, and operators must use zero-emitting alternatives where available by 31 December 2026.
  7. Flare stacks must use auto-igniter or continuous pilot and achieve at least 99% destruction and removal efficiency within 18 months of entry into force.
  8. Member States must inventory inactive wells and permanently plugged and abandoned wells within six months, report methane emissions, and develop mitigation plans within 12 months and implement them within 24 months.
  9. For coal mines, venting through ventilation shafts is banned from 1 January 2027 for mines emitting more than five tonnes of methane per kilotonne of coal mined, and from 1 January 2031 for those emitting more than three tonnes.
  10. Member States must inventory closed and abandoned underground coal mines within 12 months, install measurement equipment within 18 months, and develop and implement mitigation plans within 18 months and 2 years respectively.
  11. From 1 January 2026, importers of coal, oil and gas must demonstrate that exporters comply with the regulation's measurement, monitoring, reporting, verification, leak detection and repair, and venting and flaring requirements, or qualify for a derogation.
  12. Member States must set effective, proportionate and dissuasive penalties, including fines and possible suspension of authorisation to place oil, gas or coal on the market for serious or repeated breaches.

Who is affected

  • Operators in oil, fossil gas and coal sectors, including petrochemicals, must measure, report, verify and abate methane emissions and comply with leak detection and venting and flaring rules.
  • Importers of coal, oil and gas into the Union must demonstrate that exporters meet comparable requirements or obtain a derogation.
  • Member States must appoint competent authorities, conduct inspections, inventory wells and coal mines, and set penalties.
  • Verifiers must be accredited and assess emissions reports, conducting announced and unannounced site checks.
  • Natural or legal persons may lodge complaints with competent authorities about possible breaches of the regulation.

Figures and deadlines

  • Methane has a residence time of 10 to 12 years in the atmosphere.
  • Methane is over 80 times more significant than carbon dioxide over a 20-year period.
  • Methane has 29.8 times greater global warming potential than carbon dioxide on a 100-year timescale and is 82.5 times more potent on a 20-year timescale.
  • Ground-level ozone contributes to nearly 20 000 premature deaths every year.
  • 53% of anthropogenic methane emissions come from agriculture, 26% from waste and 19% from the energy sector.
  • The Union aims to reduce net greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55% below 1990 levels by 2030.
  • The Commission indicates that 77% of total projected methane emissions over and above the baseline can be abated in 2030 at less than the sum of social and environmental benefits.
  • The Global Methane Pledge aims to reduce global methane emissions by 30% by 2030 from 2020 levels.