Contacts on EU Methane Regulation
Dear DG CLIMA,
Under the right of access to documents in the EU treaties, as laid out in Regulation 1049/2001, I am requesting access to all documents related to the requests below, in whichever form they exist (e.g. flash reports, emails, papers, memos, talking points, position papers, text messages, or any other format).
1. Access to all documents related to meetings held by Commissioner Hoekstra and/or his cabinet members and/or DG CLIMA between 1 January 2025 and 16 June 2026 with third parties (i.e. stakeholders that are not part of the EU institutions, such as companies, business associations, think tanks, research institutes, consultancies, and related actors) in which the EU Methane Regulation was discussed, including, but not limited to, the following meetings:
- ExxonMobil and DG CLIMA on 5 June 2026.
- Shell and DG CLIMA and the cabinet of the Commissioner on 11 July 2025 and 6 October 2025.
- LP Brussels with DG CLIMA on 7 July 2025.
2. Any other input received regarding the EU Methane Regulation between 1 October 2025 and 16 June 2026 from third parties including, but not limited to, the following:
- American Chamber of Commerce to the EU (AmCham EU)
- American Chamber of Commerce in Belgium (AmCham Belgium)
- US Chamber of Commerce
- ExxonMobil
- ConocoPhilips
- Eurogas
- International Association of Oil & Gas Producers Europe (IOGP)
- QatarEnergy
- TotalEnergies
- Venture Global
- Excelerate Energy
- Cheniere Energy
- BDEW
- MiQ
- FuelsEurope
- Gas Infrastructure Europe
- Vitol
- Koch, Inc.
- Shell Companies
- Wood MacKenzie
- Other think tanks and research institutes
3. Any documents, including emails, notes, text messages, and other types of documents, which include references to the March 2026 Wood MacKenzie report “EU Methane Emissions Regulation – Analysis of Market Impacts”, and other research related to the EU Methane Regulation received since 1 September 2025.
This request is clearly in the public interest given the importance of the EU Methane Regulation for combating methane emissions, which are the second largest contributor to climate change, as also acknowledged by the European Commission itself. It is also in the public interest to provide transparency about any input received from, and interactions with, corporate actors during democratic EU decision-making processes. I therefore kindly request to apply the exceptions listed in Regulation 1049/2001, Article 4(1)(a), first and third indent, only when strictly necessary and only for those documents and those sections within these documents which strictly fall within the scope of this exception.
I kindly ask you to make the documents public on a rolling basis as they become available.
Thank you for your time and efforts.
Yours sincerely,
Kim Claes
Friends of the Earth Europe
Mundo Matonge building
Rue d-Edimbourg 26
1050 Brussels
Belgium
Dear Sir or Madam,
We hereby acknowledge the receipt of your request for access to documents
sent on 18/06/2026 and registered on 02/07/2026 under the case number
2026/3368.
We will handle your request within 15 working days as of the date of
registration. The time-limit expires on 24/07/2026. We will let you know
if we need to extend this time limit for additional 15 working days.
To find more information on how we process your personal data, please see
[1]the privacy statement.
Yours faithfully,
Directorate-General for Climate Action - Access to Documents
European Commission
References
Visible links
1. https://ec.europa.eu/info/principles-and...
Dear Mr Claes,
We are writing concerning your request for access to Commission documents
registered on 02/07/2026 under case number EASE 2026/3368.
We are currently working on your request. However, we have not yet been
able to gather all the elements necessary to carry out a full analysis of
your request. We will not be able to send you the reply within the
prescribed time limit expiring on 24/07/2026.
Therefore, in line with Article 7(3) of [1]Regulation (EC) No 1049/2001,
we need to extend this time limit by 15 additional working days. The new
time limit expires on 14/08/2026.
We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause.
Kind regards,
CLIMA Access to Documents Team
References
Visible links
1. https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/...
Dear Mr Claes,
Please find attached a message concerning your request for access to
Commission documents registered under the above case number 2026/3368.
Please acknowledge the receipt of this message by return email.
Kind regards,
CLIMA Access to Documents Team
Dear Mr Claes,
Please find attached a message concerning your request for access to
Commission documents registered under the above case number 2026/3368.
Please acknowledge the receipt of this message by return email.
Kind regards,
CLIMA Access to Documents Team
Dear Climate Action,
Thanks a lot for providing the information and give transparency about the corresponding contacts and meetings.
Yours faithfully,
Kim Claes
Dear DG CLIMA,
I am writing in response to your letter of 29 July 2026 (EASE 2026/3368). It appears that document 21, listed in your letter, is missing from the disclosed documents. Would you be able to provide me with that document?
Yours sincerely,
Kim Claes