Emergency ordinance implementing EU methane emissions regulation could be adopted by year-end

The emergency ordinance for implementing EU Regulation 2024/1787 on reducing methane emissions in the energy sector (MER) could be adopted by the end of this year, Secretary of State in the Ministry of Energy Cristian Busoi said on Tuesday during a specialised debate."We estimate that the emergency ordinance will be adopted by the end of December. Dialogue with other ministries is also very important. The Ministry of Energy is prepared. We will have a dedicated team for implementing and enforcing this regulation. Dialogue will continue with the ASE [Bucharest University of Economic Studies] project team, NGOs, European organisations, and civil society organisations in Romania," the secretary of state said.He added that the ordinance is currently in the legislative process. The Ministry of Energy is in advanced talks with the Ministry of Environment, which has submitted key observations, while the National Authority for Regulation in the Mining, Oil and Carbon Dioxide Geological Storage sector (ANRMPSG) has formally proposed amendments.Busoi noted that over the summer, the Ministry of Energy held meetings with representatives of the industry, business sector, other public institutions, and civil society, who made " highly important" proposals that were taken into account in drafting the emergency ordinance."Of course, the Ministry of Environment is extremely important in this process, as are the Ministry of Economy and the Ministry of Finance, to draft an emergency ordinance that effectively implements the European Regulation," Cristian Busoi said.According to him, Romania's energy industry is a partner of the authorities in reducing methane emissions, but "all these efforts, to be feasible, must not have administrative costs that could endanger the existence of this industry."The secretary of state added that Romania is a special case in terms of methane emissions reduction, with the largest number of industrial facilities to be monitored and measured, with emissions that must be reduced, including around 47,000 inactive, closed, or abandoned wells."Romania has been conducting exploration since the 19th century. Today it is the number one natural gas producer in the European Union, and with the Neptun Deep project in the Black Sea coming online in 2027, it will strongly consolidate this position, as domestic gas production will double," Busoi said.He also noted that Romania ranks third in the European Union in oil production."This is very important because we can actively contribute to the objective of eliminating imports from Russia and, more generally, reducing the EU's dependence on imports. (...) We also have very significant responsibilities. We will fulfil these responsibilities, but we must find a balance - objectives that can be implemented, a realistic timeline, and not create a burden that could ultimately endanger future investments by companies in Romania's oil and gas sector, which neither we nor the European Union want," the official emphasised.A round table was held on Tuesday at the Bucharest University of Economic Studies (ASE) as part of I-MER, a European project led by the Faculty of Business Administration in Foreign Languages (FABIZ) within ASE and funded by the European Climate Initiative (EUKI).The project supports Romania and the Czech Republic in effectively applying the new EU Methane Regulation by strengthening institutional capacity, promoting dialogue between government, business, and civil society, and advancing practical solutions for reducing methane emissions in the energy sector.The project is part of the European Climate Initiative (EUKI) of the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Climate Action, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMUKN).According to I-MER, in 2023 Romania was responsible for 20% of the EU's methane emissions from the energy sector, based on data from the European Environment Agency. Romania was also responsible for 85% of methane from abandoned coal mines in the EU.I-MER experts warn that Romania is already lagging in implementing EU Regulation 2024/1787 on methane emissions. They cautioned that, without a designated authority and a clear system for monitoring and enforcement, implementation risks remaining fragmented.