Amman, Feb. 11 (Petra) – The Lower House of Parliament on Wednesday approved Articles 3 through 11 of the draft 2026 Gas Law, marking a significant step toward establishing a comprehensive legislative framework for Jordan's energy transition.

The session, presided over by Speaker Mazen Qadi, saw the majority of deputies endorse the articles as submitted by the government and recommended by the Parliamentary Energy and Mineral Resources Committee. To date, the House has ratified 11 of the draft law’s 32 articles.

A cornerstone of the legislation, Article 3, defines the law’s primary objectives: regulating sector activities, incentivizing infrastructure investment, diversifying energy sources, and safeguarding consumer rights. The law’s scope, detailed in Article 4, notably excludes the upstream stages of natural gas extraction and processing, as well as hydrocarbon materials primarily derived from petroleum.

Under Article 5, the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources is tasked with drafting the Kingdom’s general energy policy and promoting competition. Meanwhile, Article 6 empowers the Energy and Minerals Regulatory Commission (EMRC) to oversee licensing, conduct facility inspections, and establish technical codes for shared-use installations.

In a move to ensure market integrity, Articles 7 and 8 establish that no person or entity may engage in gas activities without first obtaining a formal license. Article 9 mandates strict compliance with safety requirements, requiring licensees to coordinate with the Ministry of Public Works and Housing and local municipalities to protect public property and health.

Furthermore, Article 10 introduces critical anti-monopoly measures by prohibiting shared-use infrastructure owners from engaging in other gas activities, ensuring operational and financial independence through mandatory accounting separation. Finally, Article 11 outlines the legal framework for land rights, allowing for state-led expropriation if private agreements for infrastructure development cannot be reached, with assets eventually reverting to government ownership.

The 2026 Gas Law is designed to accommodate the global shift toward sustainable energy, providing a modern regulatory environment for natural gas, biogas, biomethane, and hydrogen derivatives. By streamlining licensing and defining clear tariff mechanisms, the law aims to position Jordan as a regional energy hub and attract strategic foreign investment.

The draft law was initially approved by the Cabinet on August 10, 2025, and referred to the parliamentary committee in November 2025.

//Petra// AJ