EU governments have agreed to delay by one year the methane reporting rules for oil, gas and coal imports, citing disruption to energy markets caused by the conflict in the Middle East. The Council of the EU adopted its negotiating position on Friday, backing a proposal the European Commission tabled on 14 October.

Under the Council's position, monitoring, reporting and verification obligations for importers will apply from 1 January 2028 instead of 1 January 2027. Methane-intensity reporting for importers and EU producers moves from 5 August 2028 to 5 August 2029, and maximum methane-intensity levels shift from 5 August 2030 to 5 August 2031.

A possible further delay

The Council also agreed that the Commission must assess by 30 September 2027 whether the conditions for implementing the rules are in place, including enough third-party verifiers and EU rules on transferring emissions information. If those elements are missing, the Commission will be able to postpone the import obligations further through secondary legislation.

The decision sets up negotiations with the European Parliament, which has backed a three-year delay. The two sides will now enter trilogue talks to agree a final compromise. The Council is seeking a deal before the end of the year, since the original import rules are due to take effect on 1 January 2027.

Climate groups urge caution

Ireland, which holds the rotating Council presidency, described the delay as pragmatic. Climate minister Darragh O'Brien said high energy prices made secure supplies a priority while the EU kept its leadership on cutting methane emissions. The Clean Air Task Force welcomed the one-year limit over the Parliament's three-year proposal but warned that one year "must mean one year" and not become a rolling delay. Methane is responsible for about 30% of global warming, according to the Council.