EU Commission Proposes Waiving Penalties for Methane Regulation Violations
The European Commission has proposed suspending penalty payments for gas and oil companies that violate the EU's methane regulation, delaying enforcement until 2029. This decision, announced on July 21, 2026, comes under pressure from the Trump administration in the USA, which sought to loosen EU rules on methane emissions. Methane is a potent greenhouse gas, over 80 times more effective at trapping heat than CO2 over a 20-year period, and is released during fracking for natural gas. The EU's methane regulation, adopted in 2024, required strict monitoring of emissions in supply chains with fines starting in 2027. The Commission argues the delay is necessary to avoid supply disruptions, but environmental groups like German Environmental Aid call it an 'attack on the Green Deal.' The move also accommodates Germany and other EU states that have not yet implemented sanction regulations. Internal German government disagreements between Economics Minister Katherina Reiche (CDU) and Environment Minister Carsten Schneider (SPD) preceded the announcement.
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