Overview
- Environment Minister Carsten Schneider publicly reprimanded Economy Minister Katherina Reiche in the Bundestag on Wednesday after media reports said she had signalled support for a temporary suspension of the EU Methane Regulation.
- Schneider said the government's Geschäftsordnung, the formal rules for interministerial coordination, was not followed and that he raised the issue with Reiche in a bilateral talk.
- Schneider reaffirmed that the federal government backs the European Commission's effort to keep the Methane Regulation and intends to transpose it into German law to cut methane from the energy sector.
- Media accounts reported Reiche raised implementation and energy security concerns at EU minister meetings and joined calls for a pause, a stance that could give Germany decisive influence in the Council if it votes against the rule.
- The dispute exposes broader CDU–SPD coalition tensions over energy policy, could reduce Germany's negotiating credibility in Brussels, and may affect how quickly and firmly the methane rules are turned into national law.