Joint industry recommendations for simplification of the importer requirements of the EU Methane Regulation

Eurogas and its industry partners are committed to supporting the EU Methane Regulation's objective of reducing methane emissions and advancing global climate leadership. However, the importer requirements, particularly MRV equivalency from 2027, are not feasible to implement within the current timeline due to missing standards, limited verification capacity, and complex supply chains. 

Without targeted adjustments, these provisions risk increasing compliance uncertainty, reducing supply options, raising costs, and undermining EU energy security and competitiveness.  

We therefore call for a time-bound "stop-the-clock" mechanism, alongside targeted simplifications and clarifications to ensure the Regulation is effective, proportionate, and operationally feasible while delivering its environmental objectives. 

Full industry recommendations here. 

Summary of the recommendations: 

• Set a conditional, time-bound deferral of Articles 28 & 29 until essential secondary legislation, MRV standards, methodologies, and verification systems are in place, to provide all stakeholders (incl. verifiers) with sufficient time to develop and set up compliance options. 

• Revise producer- and country-level MRV equivalency criteria to make compliance achievable whilst using credible, internationally recognized approaches (including OGMP 2.0 Levels 4–5 pathways), while preserving the EUMR’s ambition to drive high-quality emissions data and abatement. 

• Allow third-party verification at a “limited assurance” level, reflecting current verifier capabilities and ensuring scalability across global supply chains. 

• Allow the use of voluntary certification schemes for cases where importers cannot identify the producer of the imported quantities. 

•  Adjust penalty criteria to reflect the physical and commercial realities of crude oil and natural gas markets (e.g. molecule commingling, crude grade
  constraints), and the limitations of tracing volumes to producers. 

• Introduce grandfathering provisions and clarify the treatment of secondary contracts to preserve legal certainty, market liquidity, and security of supply. 

• Anchor the importer definition firmly in the Union Customs Code to ensure legal certainty, consistent enforcement across MSs, and clarity on responsibilities
  for EU- and non-EU-established entities. 

Download full PDF below.