France it proposes delaying the implementation of new European obligations until 2028 on methane emissions while seeking greater regulatory flexibility to strengthen fuel supplies on the continent.
French President Emmanuel Macron has asked the European Commission to postpone for one year certain requirements affecting oil and gas imports. The request proposes shifting from January 1, 2027 to January 1, 2028 the application of the monitoring, reporting and verification requirements provided for importers.
European regulations stipulate that, from 2027 onwards, importers must demonstrate that the oil, gas or coal they bring into the European Union meet methane emissions monitoring, reporting and verification requirements equivalent to those required within the bloc.
The regulations will require monitoring methane emissions
The European regulation seeks to improve the measurement and monitoring of methane emissions associated with fossil fuels and progressively extend those requirements to imports.
From the January 1, 2027 importers will be required to demonstrate compliance with certain monitoring, reporting, and verification requirements. Subsequently, from August 2028, they will also be required to report on the methane intensity corresponding to the production of imported oil, gas, or coal.
For contracts entered into before the regulation came into force, companies must demonstrate that they made reasonable efforts to obtain the required information. Failure to comply may result in penalties determined by the competent authorities of each Member State.
However, the European Commission has already recommended a more flexible approach during the initial implementation phase. In July 2026, it proposed that Member States refrain from imposing certain financial penalties for three years, between 2027 and 2029, with the aim of reducing the risk of disruptions to energy supply. The obligations, however, would remain in place during that period.
France is also looking to increase fuel production
In addition to the postponement related to methane, Macron is proposing to temporarily relax some European requirements on fuel quality. The proposal seeks to facilitate increased kerosene production and diesel within Europe at a time when refiners and importers are facing greater difficulties in ensuring supply.
According to estimates included in the French proposal, greater regulatory flexibility could allow refineries to increase their production of certain fuels by between 5% and 20%.
Among the options proposed is a temporary review of requirements related to fuel density, vaporization parameters, and some limits related to desulfurization.
Macron proposes expanding the use of B10 diesel
France also proposes to relax the conditions applicable to mixtures of biofuels one possibility would be to allow distributors to more easily replace B7 diesel, which can contain up to 7% biodiesel, with B10, whose proportion can reach 10%.
The measure would broaden the options available to supply the European market while international tensions over fuel supplies continue. The French proposal also focuses on Europe’s dependence on imports from the Middle East, especially on products such as kerosene and diesel.
The European Commission is assessing the impact on supply
For now, the European Commission is maintaining the current regulatory timetable, its own guidelines confirm that the monitoring, reporting, and verification requirements for certain imports will begin to apply on January 1, 2027.
At the same time, Brussels has indicated that the application of the regulation must take energy security into account. The regulatory framework itself requires authorities to consider this aspect when establishing sanctions, while the recommendations published in 2026 aim to provide greater predictability for importers and suppliers.
The debate thus opens two fronts for the European Union, one is to maintain the progress of measures aimed at reducing methane emissions and, at the same time, prevent their implementation from aggravating possible tensions in the supply of oil, gas and refined fuels.
The Commission’s decision will determine whether the planned 2027 timetable remains unchanged or whether importers receive an additional period to adapt to the new requirements.
Source: Reuters
Photo: Shutterstock
