EU Methane Reg.
Regulation (EU) 2024/1787 on the reduction of methane emissions in the energy sector
Topic : Climate · Level : Regional
Today
In force; delay of importer rules proposed 14 Oct 2026 (Commission: 1 year; EP 22 Oct 2026: 3 years); final deal pending.
Summary
EU regulation cutting methane from oil, gas and coal, extended to imports. Importers must report supplier data and prove equivalent monitoring. A one-year delay of key importer duties was proposed on 14 Oct 2026.
Who is concerned
- Turnover
- non précisé
- Employees
- non précisé
- Listed company
- cotées et non cotées
- Sectors
- Oil
- Natural gas and LNG
- Coal
- Triggering activities
- Importing crude oil, gas or coal into the EU
- Operating EU oil, gas or coal assets
- Extraterritorial reach
- Yes
Importers must show non-EU producers apply MRV measures equivalent to EU rules under supply contracts.
- Examples
- EU utility importing LNG
- Refiner buying crude oil from third countries
What the law requires
- Report annually producer and MRV information for imported oil, gas and coal
- Ensure new or renewed supply contracts cover equivalent MRV at producer level
- Report methane intensity of production for imports (from 2028, proposed 2029)
Penalties
Set by Member States (art. 33): must remove economic benefit; administrative fines capped at 20% of prior-year annual turnover.
What this changes for a supplier in China
Limited: applies to fossil energy imports. Chinese manufacturers are not in scope; Chinese energy exporters to the EU would need MRV data.
Expected evidence
- Producer MRV methodology
- Methane intensity per cargo
- Contract clauses on MRV equivalence
Tiers : Tier 1