Today, during the plenary session in Strasbourg, MEPs voted in favour of the first EU-wide legislation aimed at reducing methane emissions from the oil, gas and coal industries.

The ECR Group supports efforts to limit and reduce methane emissions. At the same time, it is important to ensure that the introduction of new obligations and restrictions on European operators is based on available, cost-effective technologies and is technology neutral.

The new legislation will impose obligations on the industry, such as measuring, reporting and verifying emissions (MRV), leak detection and repair (LDAR) provisions and restrictions on venting and flaring of methane. Imports make up 80% of the oil and gas consumed in the EU. According to the new law, from 2026 on, MEP’s want to see importers of coal, oil and gas to be able to prove that imported fossil energy also meets the requirements in the regulation.

Speaking during the plenary debate preceding today’s vote, ECR Group MEP and shadow rapporteur on the file for the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy (ITRE), Izabela Kloc stressed that when it comes to voting on limiting methane emissions, one should remember that the importance of this problem goes far beyond the framework of the EU climate policy. “For Upper Silesia, Poland, where I come from, this is a litmus test for the success of the European Green Deal, this is a fundamental issue, also for economic and social reasons. We are thinking not only about the climate but those who are employed in mines,” said Kloc.

Ms Kloc thanked the rapporteurs and shadow rapporteurs for their constructive dialogue, “Sometimes these negotiations are very tough, I am happy that we were able to find this compromise,” she said.

ECR MEP and acting Environment, Public Health and Food Safety (ENVI) Committee member, Jadwiga Wiśniewska stated that it is known that climate policy is one of the EU’s priority policies. She stressed the need for a just climate transition that is reasonable for all European’s, “We all want a clean environment, but we all must remember the cost of climate transition must be bearable, in the end it will be borne by our citizens,” stressed Wiśniewska.

The Commission’s original proposal did not offer sufficient ambitious provisions for importers of fossil fuels, according to ECR MEP Beata Mazurek, and consequently that would mean the end of the extraction of European raw materials, while importing coal from third countries, which not only do absolutely nothing to reduce methane emissions but also extract raw materials without respecting environmental law or labor rights. “And that’s outrageous,” declared Mazurek. However, Parliament’s report tightens the obligations for importers of coal and gas from third countries. “In my opinion, this will to some extent level the playing field between EU producers and those from third countries,” she said.

The regulation was adopted with 499 votes in favour, 73 against and 55 abstentions.