Overview
- A U.S. government paper reviewed by Reuters asks for an exemption or a delay in applying the EU Methane Regulation to U.S. oil and gas until October 2035.
- The document, circulated to EU governments ahead of an energy ministers meeting in Brussels, calls the measure a non-tariff trade barrier that burdens U.S. exporters.
- The EU policy requires importers to track and report methane emissions beginning this year, with an import monitoring, reporting, and verification equivalence requirement slated for 2027.
- U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright has argued the policy is impossible to implement and warns it could disrupt American gas shipments to Europe.
- A European Commission spokesperson did not confirm receiving the paper and the U.S. mission offered no immediate comment, as Europe expands purchases of U.S. LNG to replace Russian supplies.