BRUSSELS, Belgium, 15 November 2023: Policymakers from the European Union (EU) have reached a political agreement on the EU Methane Regulation, including partial measures on the heavily debated issue of fossil fuel imports, the Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) announced through a Press release.

EIA said that after a two-year-long process, the EU held its final trialogue on November 14, and the EU Methane Regulation is the first European legislative text aiming to tackle this climate super-pollutant, responsible for about one-third of the global warming observed to date.

Kim O’Dowd, Climate Campaigner, EIA, said: “The long-awaited EU Methane Regulation marks an important milestone. Tackling methane emissions from the energy sector is one of the most cost-effective ways to limit global warming in the near term, and the agreement is a positive stride in the right direction.” He further said that when implemented effectively, it has the potential to significantly cut methane emissions in the EU while saving supplies.

According to EIA, the Regulation puts obligations on monitoring, reporting and verification, leak detection and repair, and limits to venting. While measures on EU segments of the supply chain are vital, EIA added that the benchmark for the EU methane regulation has always been how it addresses the upstream segments of the supply chain, because it relies on imports for 70 % of its hard coal consumption, 97 % of its oil consumption and 90 %of its fossil gas consumption.

O’Dowd further said: “It is encouraging to note that in recent weeks, both the Council and the Commission have transitioned from outright opposition to measures on imports to now incorporating a performance standard on the supply chain. Nevertheless, this agreed-on proposal falls short of the comprehensive and practical mitigation measures put forward by the European Parliament, which offered clear, concrete and achievable solutions.”

The Regulation, EIA said, will enter the implementation phase in 2024, and EIA will continue to advocate for stronger measures.

 While the Regulation establishes a foundation, O’Dowd added that effort will be required to ensure its effectiveness. He said, “There is a pressing need to enhance import measures, particularly the intensity standard set to enter into force in 2030, and to ensure its continuous alignment with cutting-edge technology for methane detection and mitigation.”

 Tim Grabiel, Senior Lawyer, EIA, said: “The jury is still out on whether the provisions on imports pack a punch against methane emissions, given the lacklustre track record of the EU on intensity standards. We will be calling on the next Commission to push for an extended effort on leak detection and repair and limits to venting and flaring to tackle methane emissions associated with fossil fuel imports.”

The agreement, EIA said, was reached a few weeks before the COP28 UN climate summit, which will mark the second anniversary of the Global Methane Pledge, launched at C0P26 by the United States and the EU.

O’Dowd said: “Through this Regulation, the EU is signalling its commitment to implementing the Global Methane Pledge as it approaches COP28 and will hopefully inspire other signatories to do the same. However, to sustain its leadership role and demonstrate unwavering commitment to the Pledge, the EU must extend its focus beyond the energy sector to include agriculture and waste. Moreover, the EU needs to ensure the Pledge’s longevity by catalysing the development of a robust global governance framework. This framework should incentivise countries to adopt clear national targets and mitigation measures, supported by comprehensive monitoring and a dedicated financial mechanism.”