The U.S. has asked the EU to delay enforcing methane reporting obligations on American oil and gas imports until October 2035, according to a government document seen by Reuters. The EU Methane Regulation, which began this year, requires importers to measure and report methane emissions linked to fuel supplies. Washington described the rule as a "non-tariff trade barrier" and circulated its paper ahead of an EU energy ministers' meeting. EU and U.S. spokespeople did not immediately comment.
U.S. Seeks Exemption From EU Methane Import Rules Until 2035, Document Shows
U.S. and European Union flags are seen in this illustration taken March 20, 2025. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration
The United States has asked the European Union to exempt U.S. oil and gas from obligations under the bloc's methane emissions rules for fuel imports until October 2035, according to a U.S. government document reviewed by Reuters.
What the Rule Requires
Under the EU Methane Regulation (EUMR), which took effect this year, companies importing oil and gas into the European Union must measure and report methane emissions linked to those supplies. The rule is designed to cut releases of methane, a potent greenhouse gas that contributes disproportionately to near-term warming.
U.S. Request
The document, circulated to EU member states ahead of a meeting of energy ministers in Brussels, proposes that if the EU does not repeal the EUMR, it should at least delay requiring U.S. emissions data reporting under the regulation until October 2035. The paper calls the measure "a critical non-tariff trade barrier that imposes an undue burden on U.S. exporters and our trade relationship."
"The EU Methane Regulation is a critical non-tariff trade barrier that imposes an undue burden on U.S. exporters and our trade relationship," the document said.
Context and Responses
U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright has criticised the EUMR as impossible to implement and warned it could disrupt U.S. gas deliveries to Europe. That warning comes as several European countries are boosting imports of U.S. liquefied natural gas (LNG) while seeking to reduce reliance on Russian oil and gas.
A spokesperson for the U.S. mission to the EU did not immediately respond to requests for comment, and a European Commission spokesperson did not immediately confirm whether the commission had received the U.S. paper.
Why It Matters
The dispute highlights tensions between climate policy and trade relations: the EUMR represents a pioneering effort to limit methane emissions in fossil-fuel supply chains, while major suppliers argue the compliance burden and trade implications warrant exemptions or delays. How the EU responds will shape both transatlantic energy trade and global efforts to curb methane emissions.
