No more political dithering over the Methane Regulation

On the Council’s position on the Methane Regulation adopted today, Jutta Paulus, the European Parliament’s lead negotiator on the Regulation, states:

“The Methane Regulation must not be made a scapegoat for the consequences of Trump’s war on Iran. Blaming the Regulation for high energy prices is nothing but a blatant distraction. Companies that capture gas rather than flaring or flaring it are helping to stabilize energy prices. Many businesses understand this and have already adapted to the rules. What they need is certainty and predictability, not political dithering. The trilogue negotiations must therefore deliver clarity as soon as possible.

It is also worth remembering that the Methane Regulation secured broad support at a time when Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine had already triggered an energy crisis.

It is welcome that Member States have not followed the European Parliament’s populist calls for a three-year postponement of reporting obligations. Nevertheless, EU ambassadors are proposing amendments that would effectively let oil and gas producers in the EU off the hook and exempt them from doing their homework.”