Workshop: Import requirements of the EU Methane Regulation

This Directorate General for Energy (DG ENER) workshop will gather European Commission representatives and stakeholders to provide information and address questions on the import requirements of the EU Methane Regulation, published on 15 July 2024.

The same workshop will be held on 2  different days

• 15 October at 09.00-11.00 (CET) for Eastern Hemisphere participants
• 17 October at 16.00-18.00 (CET) for Western Hemisphere participants

The EU Methane regulation is the first in the world to regulate methane emissions from imports.

It requires importers of oil, gas and coal into the EU

1.  to report, from 2025, on an annual basis methane emissions data and information from countries and companies exporting to the EU, including details on whether, and if so how, they are measuring, reporting and abating their methane emissions.

2.  for all the contracts that importers have concluded or renewed with exporters to the EU since entry into force of the Regulation to

   • demonstrate, from 2027, that they are from producers that are subject to measuring, monitoring, reporting and verification (MRV) of methane emissions that are equivalent to the requirements set out in the regulation
   • report, from 2028, on the methane intensity of the production of oil, gas and coal that they are placing on the EU market, according to a methodology to be set by the Commission

   Contracts concluded before the entry into force of the regulation are also subject to those obligations, but importers only need to prove they have applied all reasonable efforts to obtain the information.

3.  for all the contracts that importers will conclude or renew with exporters to the EU after August 2030 to demonstrate, from 2030, that the methane intensity of the production of oil, gas and coal that they are placing on the EU market is below maximum values to be set by the Commission

Failure to meet the requirements of the regulation will not be in terms of a ban on placing oil, gas, or coal in the EU market but in terms of penalties such as periodic penalty payments, fines and disgorgement of profits, set by EU countries for infringements of the regulation occurring in their jurisdiction. Penalties will have to be set at levels which are effective, proportionate, and dissuasive.

Connect to the workshop on 15 October

Connect to the workshop on 17 October