At a glance
- The Council of the EU said it will seek an early agreement with the European Parliament so the postponement takes effect by the end of the year.
- Importers' monitoring, reporting and verification obligations currently start in 2028.
- For allocators whose portfolios hold EU-exposed oil, gas or coal importers, the verified methane data used in engagement and screening would shift by at least a year from the 2028 start.
EU member states agreed to postpone methane monitoring and reporting requirements for oil, gas and coal importers by one year, ESG Today reported on Nov. 9.
The Council of the EU said it will seek an early agreement with the European Parliament so the postponement takes effect by the end of the year. Parliament wants a three-year delay, backing a May 2031 deadline for the import rules, as ESG Capital Daily previously reported. Parliament's position rests on importers' warnings that they may not be able to secure enough compliant supply with energy markets already strained.
Importers' monitoring, reporting and verification obligations currently start in 2028. A one-year delay would push that to 2029, and Parliament's version to 2031.
For allocators whose portfolios hold EU-exposed oil, gas or coal importers, the verified methane data used in engagement and screening would shift by at least a year from the 2028 start. Due-diligence workbooks built around a 2028 compliance horizon would need rewriting once the two institutions settle a date.
What the 2024 law requires
The 2024 law set rules for measuring, reporting and verifying methane emissions, finding and repairing leaks, and limiting venting and flaring. ESG Today describes it as the world's first comprehensive legislation to regulate methane emissions related to oil, gas and coal imports. In October the Commission proposed the one-year delay, citing a need to avoid additional pressure on the security of supply of imported fossil fuels.
The Council's position attaches a condition. The Commission would have to assess by Sept. 30, 2027 whether the elements needed to implement the reporting obligations are in place, including a sufficient number of third-party verifiers to assess the conformity of emission reports. If the verifier pool is judged too thin, the reporting start moves again regardless of the delay period.
Council and Parliament must agree before any postponement applies. Until they do, importers have two live deadlines to plan against: 2029 and 2031.
Council and Parliament are two years apart on methane reporting
Scheduled milestones for importer monitoring and reporting obligations, 2024 to 2031
- 2024Law adopted; importer rules due to start in 2028 (Completed)
- Oct 2026Commission proposes a one-year delay (Completed)
- Nov 9 2026Council backs one-year delay, to 2029 (Current stage)
- Sept 30 2027Commission to judge whether verifiers are in place (Upcoming)
- 2029Reporting starts under Council's one-year delay (Upcoming)
- May 2031Reporting starts under Parliament's three-year delay (Upcoming)
Show as table
| Date | Event | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Law adopted; importer rules due to start in 2028 | |
| Oct 2026 | Commission proposes a one-year delay | |
| Nov 9 2026 | Council backs one-year delay, to 2029 | |
| Sept 30 2027 | Commission to judge whether verifiers are in place | |
| 2029 | Reporting starts under Council's one-year delay | |
| May 2031 | Reporting starts under Parliament's three-year delay |
Reported by the Policy & Disclosure desk from ESG Today and ESG Capital Daily archive. Published . Corrections