From January 2027, importers of natural gas and crude oil into the European Union must demonstrate to their authorities that supplies are subject to MRV measures equivalent to those in the EU Methane Regulation (EUMR) – the landmark framework governing methane emissions from oil and gas operations. The deadline is fixed. The challenge – what particular MRV program to use and how to go about it – is not clearly explained.
That practical reality is why the EU Energy Council, in December 2025, joined the European Commission and the EU’s Network of Competent Authorities, along with a broad industry coalition, in pointing to certification as a pragmatic compliance route. Articles 12(5) and 28(5) of the EUMR explicitly opens that door: Until adoption of the EUMR-required ISO standards, MRV measures are deemed equivalent where they meet OGMP 2.0 Level 5 or follow state-of-the-art industry practices, and are subject to independent verification.
A new equivalence assessment by Energy & Climate Policy Advisory Europe (E&CPA)*, commissioned by MiQ, walks through the EUMR’s importer requirements term-by-term against MiQ’s Methane Emissions Performance Standard and Audit Protocol. The conclusion: MiQ’s MRV terms are equivalent to those in the EUMR – across measurement and quantification, reporting, and verification.
That said, the assessment flags one gap with the current requirements. External accreditation of MiQ-recognized auditors under ISO 17029, ISO 14065, and ISO 14064-3 is required only as of certifications beginning in 2029 – but MiQ has signaled willingness to accelerate that timeline subject to Commission guidance. Secondly, MiQ will adjust MRV components of its standard, if deemed necessary, upon adoption of the pending ISO standards.
For importers, the practical takeaway is straightforward. A credible compliance instrument now exists – independently verified, third-party assessed, and aligned with the direction EU policymakers themselves have already signaled. The 2027 deadline does not have to be a wall. It can be a starting line.
Read the full report: EUMR-MiQ Equivalence Report by Energy & Climate Policy Advisory
*Disclosure: The author advises MiQ on European policy matters.