What happened
French President Emmanuel Macron has asked European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to defer EU methane rules for imported oil and gas by 12 months. In a letter dated 18 September, Macron proposed shifting implementation from 1 January 2027 to 1 January 2028.
The request concerns the import provisions of the EU Methane Regulation. Under the current timetable, importers will need from January 2027 to establish that their supplies are subject to measurement, disclosure and assurance arrangements comparable to those required within the EU.
Additional methane-intensity reporting is scheduled to begin in 2028, with an intensity standard due from 2030. Macron said the requirements could create legal risks for importers as global fuel markets tighten.
His intervention follows requests by more than a dozen EU countries, including Germany, to delay or suspend the measures. The Commission is reviewing the French proposals and the possible consequences of the law for energy supply.
Why it matters
The proposal creates a live compliance-planning question for oil and gas importers, suppliers and investors. A revised date could affect preparation for data collection, verification arrangements, contracts and associated compliance costs. But businesses should not assume a delay: the January 2027 date still applies unless EU policymakers formally amend the framework.
The rules are intended to extend EU expectations on methane emissions beyond the bloc through its fossil-fuel imports. Their timing has become contested as governments weigh those climate objectives against security-of-supply concerns.
The Commission has already identified a potential source of flexibility without altering the start date. In July, it recommended that member states could postpone financial penalties tied to importer obligations until the end of 2029 when needed to safeguard energy security.
Related fuel proposals
Macron also requested temporary changes to EU fuel-quality and biofuel rules. He asked the Commission to consider looser requirements that could support European kerosene and diesel production; French refiners estimate output could rise by 5% to 20%.
Other proposals include more flexibility on biofuel blending, potentially allowing B10 diesel in place of B7, and temporary adjustments related to fuel density, vaporisation limits and desulphurisation.
What companies should do next
Importers should continue preparing for the existing 2027 obligations while monitoring whether the Commission proposes legislative amendments. They should also assess how a possible deferral of penalties, rather than of compliance duties themselves, would affect supplier engagement, contractual allocation of responsibilities and assurance plans.
