Joint Biomethane Declaration: European industries call for rapid market development

European industry organisations published on 24 March 2026 in Brussels the Joint Biomethane Declaration. The document contains ten priority actions intended to accelerate the development of the market. The sources do not name the signatories, saying only that they are leading European associations.

Key demands

The coverage lists four of the ten points:

• recognition of biomethane's contribution to EU climate targets, including the REPowerEU target,
• removal of administrative barriers in certification and trade,
• harmonisation of national support systems,
• improved access to infrastructure through faster permitting and integrated grid planning.

The authors cite figures: Europe produces about 22 billion m³ of biogas and biomethane per year, the REPowerEU target is 35 billion m³ by 2030, the EU imports about 90% of its gas, about 25 million tonnes of digestate are produced annually, and the sector captures 1.17 million tonnes of biogenic CO₂, which is about 14% of market demand for liquid and solid CO₂ in Europe.

The competitiveness argument

The declaration argues that biomethane can bring quick relief to energy-intensive sectors: chemicals, metallurgy, paper, shipping and fertiliser production, where high energy prices and emission costs reduce competitiveness. The signatories point to the crisis in the Middle East, which disrupts ammonia production dependent on natural gas. A similar argument was used in 2022 by the industry after Russia's invasion of Ukraine: locally produced gas reduces dependence on imports.

Why it matters

Biomethane is being developed in the EU more slowly than strategic documents assumed: the REPowerEU target of 35 billion m³ by 2030 appears hard to reach at the current pace (biomethane production in 2024 was about 5 billion m³). The declaration is an attempt to convince decision-makers that the obstacles are regulatory and administrative, not related to feedstock.

Significance for the industry in Poland

The demands for harmonising support systems and simplifying certification also concern the Polish market, which is only now introducing auctions and a system of guarantees of origin. The chemical and fertiliser industry in Poland (large plants dependent on gas) is a natural buyer of biomethane and CO₂. The theme of digestate as a substitute for mineral fertilisers matters for farmers and for food security.

What to watch

The declaration is a document of demands, not a legal act. Its effectiveness depends on whether the Commission and the states incorporate its points into work on the review of the energy framework, including legislation on certification and the Union Database.

Additional context

It is worth adding that the figures indicated in the declaration (e.g. 22 billion m³ of biogas production) come from industry reports and cover biogas and biomethane together, whereas the REPowerEU target concerns biomethane alone. When comparing these values, the difference in definitions must be borne in mind.