Almost a year ago the EU Commission proposed inclusion of shipping in the Emissions Trading Scheme https://iistl.blog/2021/07/14/bastille-day-eu-commissions-present-to-the-shipping-industry/ with a proposed directive amending the 2003 ETS Directive. This was considerably less extensive that the proposed amendment to the 2015 MRV Regulation which is what the EU Parliament voted for in October 2020. The matter has recently come back to the European Parliament which voted on 22 June to make certain amendments to the EU Commission’s proposed directive amending the 2003 ETS Directive.
The Parliament’s proposed amendments would see coverage of 100% of emissions from intra-European routes as of 2024 and 50% of emissions from extra-European routes from and to the EU as of 2024 until the end of 2026. From 2027, emissions from all trips in and out of the EU should be covered 100% with possible derogations for non-EU countries where coverage could be reduced to 50% subject to certain conditions. 75% of the revenues generated from auctioning maritime allowances should be put into an Ocean Fund to support the transition to an energy-efficient and climate-resilient EU maritime sector. Instead of the phasing in of the surrender of allowances proposed by the Commission, the Parliament proposes that from 1 January 2024 and each year thereafter, shipping companies shall be liable to surrender allowances corresponding to one hundred percent (100 %) of verified emissions reported for each respective year.
Under the Commission’s proposal the person or organisation responsible for the compliance with the EU ETS should be the shipping company, defined as the shipowner or any other organisation or person, such as the manager or the bareboat charterer, that has assumed the responsibility for the operation of the ship from the shipowner.
The Parliament has accepted this, but has proposed an amendment whereby, a binding clause should be included in contractual arrangements with the shipping company so that the entity that is ultimately responsible for the decisions affecting the greenhouse gas emissions of the ship is held accountable for covering the compliance costs paid by the shipping company under this Directive. That entity would normally be the entity that is responsible for the choice and purchase of the fuel used by the ship, or for the operation of the ship, as regards, for example, the choice of the cargo carried by, or the route and speed of, the ship – in other words, the time charterer.
Quite how this binding clause in time charters of vessels coming into and out of the EU would be monitored is another matter.
The Parliament also proposed the expansion of the MRV Regulation, Regulation (EU) 2015/757, beyond CO2 emissions, to encompass ‘greenhouse gas emissions’ meaning the release of CO2, Methane and Nitrous Oxides into the atmosphere. The scope of the MRV Regulation should also be amended to cover ships of 400 gross tonnage and above from 1 January 2024, but operators of such ships operators should only be required to report the information which is relevant for inclusion from 1 January 2027 of such ships within the scope of the EU ETS, in particular the type of fuel, its carbon factor and energy density.
The Parliament’s decision was shortly followed by the Council communication of 29 June 2022 stating:
“The Council agreed to include maritime shipping emissions within the scope of the EU ETS. The general approach accepts the Commission proposal on the gradual introduction of obligations for shipping companies to surrender allowances. As member states heavily dependent on maritime transport will naturally be the most affected, the Council agreed to redistribute 3,5% of the ceiling of the auctioned allowances to those member states. In addition, the general approach takes into account geographical specificities and proposes transitional measures for small islands, winter navigation and journeys relating to public service obligations, and strengthens measures to combat the risk of carbon leakage in the maritime sector.
The general approach includes non-CO2 emissions in the MRV regulation from 2024 and introduces a review clause for their subsequent inclusion in the EU ETS.”
Following the adoption of the Council’s position, negotiations between the Parliament and the Council will start shortly in view of finding an agreement on the final text. One way or another, the inclusion of shipping in the ETS is coming soon.
