Schneider Accuses Reiche of Breaking Government Agreements on EU Methane Regulation

Background: What is the EU methane regulation about?

The EU methane regulation is intended to help reduce emissions of the climate-harmful gas methane from the energy sector. Schneider argued that the regulation sets global market standards and that Germany can use its purchasing power to remove methane from the atmosphere. He said verbatim: „Wir setzen Standards, Marktstandards in die Welt damit auch, und können unsere Nachfragemacht auch nutzen, um dieses klimaschädliche Gas aus der Atmosphäre zu bekommen."

The environment minister also stressed that the federal government supports the EU Commission in maintaining the regulation: „Von daher unterstützt die Bundesregierung die Kommission bei der Beibehaltung der EU-Methanverordnung." Schneider explicitly rejects a suspension of the regulation.

According to Schneider, reliability means transposing the methane law into national law and not postponing problems: „Verlässlichkeit heißt auch, zum Beispiel dieses Methangesetz hier in nationales Recht umzusetzen und darauf zu setzen, nichts zu verschieben, sondern die Probleme tatsächlich zu adressieren."

Schneider's criticism of Reiche's approach

Regarding Reiche's approach toward the EU Commission, Schneider said: „Das ist gegenüber der (EU)-Kommission natürlich ein Verfahren, das nicht in Ordnung ist." He also pointed out that he himself adheres to coalition decisions, even when they do not always match his personal views: „Ich halte mich auch an Beschlüsse der Koalition, auch wenn sie manchmal nicht ganz übereinstimmen mit dem, was ich persönlich meine."

Schneider explained that he had pointed out the conflict to Reiche in a bilateral conversation. At the same time, he referred to the rules of procedure of the federal government: „Die Geschäftsordnung der Bundesregierung gilt und an die wurde sich in dem Fall nicht gehalten." There had also been a coordination process within the government that reflected the position of the Environment Ministry and had been agreed upon: „Und darüber bestand auch Einigkeit."

Schneider made clear that the position he represented in the Bundestag constitutes the agreed line of the federal government: „die maßgebliche Meinung, die ich jetzt hier vertreten habe, die eine abgestimmte Position der Bundesregierung ist." He also insisted that his ministry has the lead responsibility on the issue.

Reaction and open questions

This has triggered a public dispute between the Federal Ministry for the Environment and the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs over Germany's line on the EU methane regulation. The regulation aims to reduce methane emissions from the European energy sector and thereby contribute to climate protection. Schneider argued in the plenary to stick with the regulation, while Reiche is reported to have advocated a suspension.

The dispute fell during the government question time, a regular format of the Bundestag in which the federal government is available to members of parliament for questions. Schneider used the opportunity to make his ministry's position clear and at the same time renew his criticism of Reiche's approach. How the conflict within the federal government will be resolved further remained initially open.