Pressure to Keep Standards Equal
From January 2027, companies importing oil and gas into the European Union will be required to meet strict monitoring, reporting and verification rules tied to methane emissions. Now, a group of US lawmakers is urging the EU not to water those rules down by granting exemptions to American energy producers if US standards fall short.
In a letter seen by Euronews, 24 members of Congress argue that the EU’s methane regulation is a vital tool to curb emissions of methane, a powerful greenhouse gas that is far more potent than carbon dioxide over the short term. They warn that weakening the rules would undermine efforts to stop the wasteful venting and flaring of natural gas and could distort competition between suppliers.
The lawmakers say clear and consistent requirements for all exporters are essential to reduce trade friction and to reward companies that invest in proven technologies to cut methane leaks.
Brussels Looks to Simplify, Not Dilute
The European Commission has acknowledged concerns about how the regulation will work in practice and has floated ways to make compliance simpler for importers. In a letter to EU member states, it outlined two options: allowing third-party certificates that verify emissions at production sites, or introducing a “trace and claim” system that digitally tracks fuel volumes through the supply chain.
However, EU officials insist these changes would not alter the substance of the law. The core requirement remains that, from 2027, importers must provide reliable methane emissions data linked to the countries and companies supplying oil and gas to the EU.
A Commission spokesperson said there are no plans to introduce exemptions, stressing that Brussels is committed to the law’s ambition while working with partners, including the US, to ensure a workable rollout that also considers energy security.
Growing Tension Across the Atlantic
The lawmakers’ appeal contrasts sharply with earlier criticism from US Energy Secretary Chris Wright, who warned during a visit to Brussels last year that the methane rules could disrupt trade. The issue also hangs over a broader EU-US trade relationship, including a deal under which the EU is expected to buy hundreds of billions of dollars’ worth of American oil, gas and nuclear energy by 2028.
Uncertainty has increased since the US Environmental Protection Agency moved in 2025 to delay and suspend tougher methane rules it had adopted a year earlier, including proposals to pause emissions reporting for nearly a decade. Environmental groups say this risks leaving US producers out of step with European requirements.
Jonathan Banks of the Clean Air Task Force said the lawmakers’ letter reflects a growing international consensus on cutting methane. He added that companies already investing in emissions monitoring and control stand to benefit most from strong, enforceable rules like the EU’s. Methane, which comes from fossil fuel production and agriculture, is responsible for about 30% of global warming since the industrial era, according to the International Energy Agency.
