BRUSSELS — The European Commission wants to allow polluters to avoid penalties under looming methane emissions rules until 2029, in a major concession to the oil and gas industry.
The next phase of the EU’s landmark methane regulation, coming in next year, will require producers and importers to extensively trace and report emissions of methane — one of the most potent greenhouse gases — or else face tough penalties.
But fossil fuel firms claim the absence of a unified penalties regime could lead to fragmented rules across member states, introducing legal uncertainty and jeopardizing EU energy supplies just as it competes with Asia in a tightened global market.
In a new draft recommendation set to be presented to member countries next month, seen by POLITICO — and confirming earlier reporting — the European Commission urged national authorities not to apply penalties to producers and importers that fail to provide information on the methane intensity of their commercial activities.
