The exchanges are taking place alongside ongoing trade talks between senior EU officials and the Trump administration, which has threatened to impose high tariffs if Europe doesn't relent on numerous demands, including that it buy more American fuel.
“I think it’s very encouraging to see EU leaders thinking creatively about how they can get off on the right foot with the new administration — energy is a critical piece of that,” said Chris Treanor, executive director of the Partnership to Address Global Emissions (PAGE), a Washington-based lobby representing top oil and gas investors.
Treanor, whose group advocates boosting U.S. liquified natural gas (LNG) exports, represents industry bosses who are among those holding talks with Jørgensen, who heads the Commission's energy department.
He said the visit with Jørgensen was “particularly related to new cargoes in Europe, but also [to] potential discussions about methane equivalency" — or how emissions are measured, quantified and compared to targets.
Starting in 2027, EU countries will penalize importers if they don't comply with resource-intensive requirements to monitor and repair leaks of methane, a gas emitted during the production, storage and transport of natural gas. That could prompt fines on EU importers — many of whom are American subsidiaries — for buying U.S. fuel that doesn't meet the standards.
Industry bosses are campaigning for the rules to be redrawn, but proponents and climate advocates say the regulations are critical, noting that methane is significantly more damaging to the atmosphere than carbon dioxide.