He asked the European Commission to delay by one year new EU rules that will impose fines on oil and gas companies which fail to report their methane emissions.
The methane regulation is designed to reduce emissions of one of the most potent planet-warming gases which are often released during the production and transport of coal, oil and natural gas. But it has been heavily criticized by the U.S. government and fossil fuel sector, who say it will frighten off oil and gas importers and endanger Europe’s energy security.
The Commission had already recommended member countries hold off fining offenders until the end of 2029. But, to provide more legal certainty to fossil fuel importers, the French President asked Brussels to explicitly delay those rules by one year.
Macron also proposed temporarily softening EU rules on the quality of fuels, which regulate parameters such as density and vaporization limits, and to allow the use of more biofuels in diesel.
“I believe it is useful to draw your attention to several points which, if addressed and implemented at the European level, could collectively strengthen our import and production capacities in the short term,” Macron wrote in a letter sent to von der Leyen last Friday and seen by POLITICO. The letter was first reported by French media.
For months, the government has been paying fuel subsidies to most-affected sectors and, later on Tuesday, it is expected to present more measures.
