BPF Welcomes Commission Not Legislating On Shale Gas

The EU Commission has rejected legislation on shale gas at this point and instead opted for a non-binding recommendation.

The UK Government has issued the following statement: "We welcome the fact that the Commission has not elected to bring forward draft legislation on shale gas at this stage. Decades of ambitious environmental Directives have left EU Member States uniquely suited to handling the challenges of shale gas development, from water use through to methane emissions. We do not believe there is a need for further legislation at EU level. We are clear that European production of shale gas has the potential to create jobs, boost growth and bring down prices and want to avoid over-regulating this emerging industry. This Recommendation sets out the Commission’s suggested good practice for Member States who choose to develop their oil and gas resources using high-volume hydraulic fracturing. Like the Commission, we want exploration and production activities to be undertaken in a safe and environmentally-responsible manner.

We already practice or require much of what has been recommended, and have a robust regulatory framework in place. As the Commission Recommendation is non-binding, we will continue to regulate the shale gas sector safely under national legislation and our existing EU obligations."

The BPF has been thanked by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills for securing Plastics Industry support in Europe to resist onerous new legislation on shale gas.

Peter Davis Director-General of the BPF said: "We very much welcome this announcement.  Fourteen EU Directives are already applicable to shale gas exploration and extraction.  The last thing we need is more unnecessary regulations UK Shale Gas deposits could provide 50 years of energy and feedstocks for our Plastics Industry".

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