Brussels, 16/02/2012 (Agence Europe) - The environment committee of the European Parliament is calling for much tougher rules on the reduction of pollution from ships in all European Union waters. Approving its rapporteur, Satu Hassi (Greens, Finland), it endorsed, in Strasbourg on 16 February, the proposal presented by the European Commission last July to reduce emissions of sulphur particles from ships. [review of Directive 93/12/EEC concerning the sulphur content of certain liquid fuels while integrating into EU law new standards approved in 2008 by the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) for marine fuels (see EUROPE 10544 and 10409)]. To the great satisfaction of environmental NGOs, however, it went far further than the demands of the IMO.
Thus, MEPs agree that the proposed maximum limits for sulphur content of marine fuels will be lowered in the designated sulphur emission control areas (SECA) from 1.5% to 0.1% from 2015. In Europe, this concerns the Baltic Sea, the North Sea and the English Channel. With their vote, however, they also called for the introduction of a 0.5% sulphur limit to all EU seas outside SECA by 2015, i.e. five years earlier than foreseen by the IMO. They also want a further step for EU sea shipping of 0.1% by 2020, as well as extension of the 0.1% limit to territorial seas of member states (i.e. 12 nautical miles from the coast) from 2015. This new 0.1% objective would allow the EU to follow closely on the heels of the United States. The Commission's proposal to extend the maximum 0.1% content to ships carrying passengers outside SECA as of 2020 was accepted with a possibility for limited derogation for Greece. “Today's vote brings us a step closer to tougher EU rules on sulphur pollution from ships. Urgent action is needed to stem the rapid growth in pollution from shipping, with air pollutant emissions from shipping expected to outstrip land-based emissions by 2020. Highly polluting shipping fuels have a serious impact on the environment but also on public health: air pollution from ships is estimated to cause 50,000 premature deaths per year in Europe”, said Satu Hassi after the vote.
On behalf of the EPP members of the parliamentary committee, Christofer Fjellner (Sweden) welcomed the vote saying it was a “more harmonised approach towards sulphur emissions”, to allow emissions to be rapidly reduced in the zones under greatest threat while giving an extra five years for implementation in zones other than SECA. Françoise Grossetête, like other French EPP MEPs, said on the other hand: “As it stands, the text is unacceptable as it places maritime transport in an untenable situation regarding the uncertainty of de-sulphured fuel availability, the extremely tight timetable for coming into line, and the considerable extra cost that the legislation will incur”.
Environmental NGOs welcomed the vote. Antoine Kedzierski of Transport and Environment (T&E) said: “It's great to see Parliament telling the EU to catch up with the United States by requiring the lowest sulphur fuels to be used near our coastlines where it does the most damage”. Louise Duprez of the European Environment Bureau (EEB) asserted: “Now member states should give their full support to these changes”. (AN/transl.jl)