Could the EU methane emission rules hamper an agreement with Trump?

Good morning. News: Viktor Orbán is said to have injected more than 1 billion euros in illegal subsidies in the pro-government media, according to a state-based complaint observed by the Financial Times, increase the concerns about the grip of the Hungarian Illéberal Prime Minister.

Today, our energy correspondent reports headaches with EU gas rules that could jeopardize efforts to sign new American import contracts, and one of the auditors of the block explains to our technological correspondent why Brussels industrial policy does not often have an impact.

Pipe dream

The main EU gas importers said that the new block rules aimed at reducing methane emissions complicate contractual negotiations, as is the block try to conclude increased energy purchases in a trade agreement to appease US President Donald Trump, writing Alice Hancock.

Context: The EU adopted strict rules to reduce methane emissions in 2024. Methane, which often flees gaseous infrastructure, is 80 times more polluting than carbon dioxide during the 20 years after its release, and an important contributor to climate change. The repair of methane leaks is considered one of the most feasible climatic policies.

Under the EU methane rules, fuel importers must monitor and report their methane emissions or face fines. The rules of other countries can be deemed “equivalent”, but few have a framework as strict as the EU.

In a letter to the European Commission sent today, gas companies such as BP, Equinor and Uniper have declared that “unresolved uncertainty” in the law concerning the declaration requirements of importers “already disturb contractual negotiations and risk the EU energy security”.

Companies, which will risk 20% of the annual turnover for non-compliance, said that the Commission should take “urgent measures” to clarify the rules. Otherwise, they will “limit Europe's ability to attract the supply of various and reliable gas” more. Companies must make their first reports in May.

The declaration comes while the EU is finalizing a plan to wean Russian fossil fuels. A senior EU said that the document would contain various legal options on how businesses could break their Russian contracts.

Brussels promotes the purchase of more LNG in the United States as a way to fill any gap left by removing the latest Russian imports, and Brussels said that it was happy to comply with Trump's demands that the EU buys more American fossil fuels as a means of filling its commercial deficit in the United States with the United States.

Trump shook hands with the chairman of the Ursula von der Leyen commission during Pope Francis funeral on Saturday, and both used a brief exchange to accept a meeting, said his spokesperson without providing details.

But Trump also decided to remove American rules regarding the declaration of methane emissions, complicating all efforts to consider the rules of equivalent American methane in order to smooth imports.

Chart of the day: short crumbling

After years of under-funding in justice systems across Europe, the continent is struggling with a crisis of its courts.

Blunt

The funding and dispersed skills complicate EU attempts to implement an effective industrial policy, the European auditor Annemie Turtelboom tell Barbara Moens.

Context: improving competitiveness through industrial strategy is a key priority for the European Commission, because the single market is struggling with commercial wars, late investments and remaining internal obstacles.

The European Auditors Court is expected to publish an audit report on the EU strategy for microchips today, after having already examined a number of other key industrial areas such as 5G, renewable hydrogen, batteries and artificial intelligence.

The flea strategy is Brussels's attempt to secure semiconductors' supplies that stimulate today's global economy, and will be closely studied by the EU head of EU Virkkunen, who is preparing more laws in this area.

But the block has structural obstacles to achieve its industrial policy objectives, especially on Chips, said Turtelboom, which led the audit.

“What we see in all our reports is that the funding is dispersed. The targets are ambitious and almost never achievable,” said Turtelboom. “And then there are widely disseminated responsibilities which do not allow the commission to easily direct the strategy.”

The various skills shared between the national and European authorities often make Brussels difficult to achieve its industrial policy objectives, because it can only push European capitals, according to listeners.

“The Commission can stimulate, can try to influence, can provide certain funding and can set ambitious objectives,” said Turtelboom.

It is then up to European capitals to achieve these objectives, which sometimes have different political priorities-even if all European leaders agree on the need to stimulate the European economy, she said.

What to look at today

1. The foreign ministers of the Nordic and Baltic countries as well as Germany, France and Poland to meet in Denmark.

2. Informal meeting EU Environment Ministers in Warsaw

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