The European Commission launched a public consultation on the future development of unconventional fossil fuels such as shale gas in Europe. All interested individuals, organisations and public authorities are welcome to share their views before 20 March 2013 on the possible opportunities and challenges that may arise from the development of such projects and on the best ways to address the challenges identified so far.

The public consultation launched by the European Commission intends to gather views on the future development of unconventional fossil fuels such as shale gas in Europe. This web-based consultation is part of a broader process designed to involve civil society in the Commission's on-going work, and it is opened until 20 March 2013. In November 2012, MEPs called for a robust regulatory regime for all shale gas activities, including hydraulic fracturing.

The European Commission will propose in 2013 a framework to manage risks, address regulatory shortcomings, and provide maximum legal clarity and predictability to market operators and citizens across the EU, building on analytical work it has conducted since the end of 2011, and on the public consultation. Work on this framework has already started, and all relevant policy options will be assessed.

Exploration for and production of natural gas and oil in Europe focused mainly on conventional resources. Technological advances are now opening up new possibilities for the extraction of unconventional fossil fuels such as shale gas, tight gas and coal bed methane from geological formations that were previously too complex or too expensive to exploit. The European Commission aims to ensure that any further development of unconventional fossil fuels is carried out with the proper health, climate and environmental safeguards in place, with maximum legal clarity and predictability for citizens and operators.