France asks Europe to delay methane checks for fuel imports

France has asked the European Commission to postpone new methane monitoring and verification requirements for imported oil and gas by one year, until 1 January 2028. President Emmanuel Macron made the request in a letter dated 18 September, first reported by Les Echos and reviewed by Reuters. Paris argues that the rules could create legal uncertainty for importers while international fuel supplies are tight.

The request is not an adopted EU decision. Reuters reports that more than a dozen member states, including Germany, have sought a delay or suspension. The Commission says it is examining the supply impact and could consider further measures if security problems emerge, but officials have not committed to reopening the law. France is therefore pressing for a change that still requires action at European level.

A penalty pause is not the same as a delay

The distinction between obligations and sanctions is important. The Commission has already instructed national authorities to waive financial penalties linked to the import provisions for three years, through the end of 2029, according to Reuters. That does not automatically postpone the monitoring and verification requirements themselves. A compliance timetable can remain in force even while fines are temporarily withheld.

The underlying regulation entered EU law in 2024. European Commission material describes it as the bloc's first legislation designed to curb methane emissions in the energy sector, covering domestic fossil-fuel operations and imported energy. The legal text sets a staged system of information, monitoring and methane-intensity requirements. Any change needs to be assessed against that existing timetable rather than treated as a new voluntary climate pledge.

Macron's letter also asks for temporary flexibility in fuel specifications. Reuters reports proposals on fuel density, vaporisation, desulphurisation and biofuel blending, including wider use of B10 diesel. French refiners estimate that technical adjustments could raise kerosene and diesel production by 5% to 20%. Those are industry estimates cited in the letter, not a verified forecast of additional French output.

The climate and supply trade-off

The climate trade-off is immediate. Methane is a powerful greenhouse gas and reducing leaks can slow near-term warming. The import rules are intended to extend measurement and accountability beyond EU production. A delay may reduce short-term compliance friction during an energy shock, while also postponing information that buyers and regulators need to compare suppliers. Both effects should be stated rather than collapsed into a simple choice between climate and supply.

The next meaningful evidence will be a formal Commission proposal, guidance or unchanged implementation date. Until then, France's position is a request, the penalty waiver is a separate concession already reported, and the 2024 regulation remains the legal baseline. Importers should not infer a postponement from political pressure alone.

Written for WHIF from the linked material. This article does not claim on-the-ground reporting. Our editorial standards.