布鲁塞尔，10月14日——在法国和美国等政府的压力下，欧盟委员会周三决定将针对石油和天然气进口的甲烷排放法规的生效时间推迟一年。
BRUSSELS, Oct 14 - The European Commission proposed a one-year delay to the EU's methane emissions rules for oil and gas imports on Wednesday, after pressure from governments including France and the United States.
该法规原定于2027年1月1日正式实施，届时要求向欧盟供应石油和天然气的外国企业必须监测并报告甲烷的排放情况（甲烷是一种强效的温室气体）。根据新的修改方案，石油和天然气进口商将有直到2029年5月31日的时间来证明他们在2028年的进口活动符合欧盟的甲烷监测和报告要求；这意味着这些燃料的外国供应商也需要提供相应的排放数据。
The rules, due to take effect on January 1, 2027, would have required foreign oil and gas suppliers to the EU to monitor and report methane, a potent greenhouse gas. Under the proposed changes, importers of oil and gas would have until 31 May 2029 to prove that their oil, gas and coal imports during 2028 complied with methane monitoring and reporting rules equivalent to those of the EU - meaning that their foreign suppliers of these fuels would need to provide the information.
欧盟委员会在一份声明中表示：“推迟这些与进口相关的法规的实施，旨在避免在当前地缘政治环境下对进口化石燃料供应安全造成额外压力。”
"This one-year postponement of the import-related provisions is designed to help avoid additional pressures on the security of supply of imported fossil fuels in the current geopolitical context," the Commission said in a statement.
甲烷是仅次于二氧化碳的第二大气候变暖因素。这项全球首创的欧盟法规旨在遏制因石油和天然气基础设施泄漏而产生的甲烷排放。然而，自伊朗战争扰乱全球能源供应、以及人们对冬季燃料供应的担忧加剧以来，该法规面临越来越大的政治压力。作为欧洲最大的液化天然气供应商，美国曾在6月警告欧盟，该法规可能会影响燃料的供应；包括埃克森美孚在内的多家企业也支持这一观点。
Methane is the second-largest contributor to climate change, after carbon dioxide. The world-first EU law was designed to tackle those emissions, which leach into the atmosphere from leaky oil and gas infrastructure around the world. But the law has faced growing political pressure after the Iran war disrupted global energy supplies and heightened concerns about fuel availability this winter. The United States, Europe's biggest liquefied natural gas supplier, warned the EU in June that the methane law could disrupt fuel deliveries, a stance backed by companies including oil major ExxonMobil.
欧盟委员会之所以决定推迟法规的生效时间，是因为法国总统埃马纽埃尔·马克龙上个月致信欧盟委员会主席乌尔苏拉·冯德莱恩，表示这些法规可能给欧洲的燃料进口商带来法律风险。
The Commission moved ahead with the delay after French President Emmanuel Macron last month wrote to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to request it, and warn the rules could create legal risks for Europe's fuel importers.
支持推迟法规的人认为，外国石油和天然气企业尚未准备好遵守欧盟的规定，因此可能会因担心罚款或法律问题而避免向欧洲输送液化天然气（LNG）货物。欧盟各国和欧洲议会必须进行谈判并批准延期。
Those seeking a delay say that foreign oil and gas companies are not ready to comply with the EU rules and would avoid sending LNG cargoes to Europe because of the risk of fines or legal issues. EU countries and the European Parliament must negotiate and approve the delay.
一些欧盟议员和国家，包括捷克和意大利，要求延长至三年，并可能在最终谈判中争取这一目标。
Some EU lawmakers and countries, including Czechia and Italy, have demanded a longer three-year delay and may attempt to win this in the final negotiations.