According to an exclusive report by Reuters, the European Commission is exploring technical adjustments to the EU’s methane regulation on fossil fuel imports, with a specific focus on liquefied natural gas (LNG). The move appears aimed at offering a regulatory “pass” for gas from the US, easing compliance burdens for American exporters.
The measure would be part of a broader trade package designed to prevent escalating tensions with the Trump administration, which has threatened new tariffs against the EU.
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Gas from the US caught between climate policy and geopolitics
Sources close to the negotiations told Reuters that Brussels is considering the introduction of “regulatory flexibility” in the EU methane framework. The rules, adopted in December 2023 and effective this year, were designed to curb methane emissions across the fossil fuel supply chain.
The proposal would allow US exporters to be deemed compliant through a “regulatory equivalence” mechanism, without requiring full technical alignment with European standards.
The aim is to preserve the integrity of EU climate legislation while maintaining trade ties with its largest LNG supplier. Since the 2022 energy crisis, the EU has dramatically increased LNG imports from the US. In 2023, US LNG accounted for 45% of the bloc’s total LNG imports and 16.5% of its overall natural gas consumption.
However, the compromise is far from straightforward. A potential rollback of federal methane reporting requirements in the US – a move previously pushed by Trump – would make it harder for the EU to justify exemptions or equivalency clauses under its own regulation.
What the EU methane regulation requires
Under the new EU rules, oil and gas importers must monitor, report, and – starting in 2027 – prove that foreign suppliers meet standards equivalent to those in Europe for methane emissions reduction.
This regulation is a cornerstone of the EU’s broader methane strategy. Methane is a greenhouse gas 82 times more potent than CO₂ over its first 20 years in the atmosphere and is the second-largest driver of human-caused global warming.