Majority of EU Member States call for postponement and targeted amendments to Methane Regulation
Brussels, 30 June 2026: 17 EU Member States have formally warned that the implementation of the EU Methane Regulation could pose risks to Europe's energy security and call for a postponement of the Regulation's importer requirements by three years. IOGP Europe urges the Commission to put forward a pragmatic legislative solution.
For IOGP Europe, the statements made by Member States during the 26 June Energy Council discussion mark an important political milestone.
"This request by a majority of Member States can no longer be ignored by the Commission," said François-Régis Mouton de Lostalot, Managing Director of IOGP Europe. "Europe can reduce methane emissions while safeguarding energy security. But this requires a regulatory framework that is practical, proportionate and capable of being implemented in the real world. Member States has now identified a practical problem and asks for swift action; the next step is for the Commission to respond with a solid legislative proposal."
The 17 Member States supported a non-paper tabled by Czechia and Slovakia which highlighted that the current implementation timeline risks creating unintended consequences for the supply of natural gas and crude oil into the European Union. They underlined that Recommendations to be issued by the Commission cannot alter the core obligations set out in the Regulation and therefore cannot resolve the key implementation challenges.
This echoes industry and supplier countries’ concerns that the application of import-related requirements as of 2027, in the absence of a clear compliance framework creates significant legal and operational uncertainty for importers, jeopardizing access to diversified energy supplies while increasing energy costs. They also note that key verification methodologies, accreditation systems and secondary legislation necessary for implementation are not yet finalized let alone in operation.
IOGP Europe actively supports the reduction of methane emissions and has consistently advocated effective, proportionate and implementable measures to reduce emissions across the energy value chain. At the same time, we have emphasized that successful implementation must reflect market realities and be supported by available and scalable compliance mechanisms.
We encourage other Member States to support this initiative so that a practical and legally sound solution can be agreed before the Regulation begins to affect Europe's energy supply. IOGP Europe stands ready to continue working constructively with the European Commission and Member States to ensure the Regulation delivers on its environmental objectives while ensuring legal certainty and security of supply.
For press inquires, please contact
Nareg Terzian
Head of Strategy & Communications
IOGP Europe
Email: gro.pgoi@ztn
