With the European Commission due to present its FuelEU Maritime legislative initiative for a more environmentally friendly European maritime transport at the beginning of December, MEPs this week spelled out their expectations in this regard.
On Wednesday 28 October, Karima Delli (Greens/EFA, France) presented her draft report “on technical and operational measures for more efficient and cleaner maritime transport” to the Committee on Transport (TRAN).
On Thursday 29 October, the Committee on Environment (ENVI) discussed this subject with the European Commissioner for Transport (see EUROPE 12592/18) and adopted by a large majority (67 votes in favour, 6 against and 7 abstentions) a draft opinion - presented last April (see EUROPE 12553/8) - on Ms Delli's report.
She first of all draws the Commission's attention to the “more favourable tax treatment” enjoyed by fossil fuels to the detriment of clean alternative fuels: she calls on the institution to “restore fair competition rules” by applying, for example, the ‘polluter-pays’ principle to maritime transport and by stimulating the use of these alternative fuels.
The MEP also advocates banning the use of heavy fuel oil and including European shipping in the EU Emissions Trading Scheme by January 2022.
Access to ports. Ms Delli also calls on the Commission to legislate in support of the “zero emissions at berth” objective by, for example, taking measures to regulate the access of the most polluting ships to ports, such as cruise ships, “and to introduce a requirement for cold ironing using green electricity or any other renewable energy”.
A target “extremely difficult to achieve in the short term”, qualified Magdalena Adamowicz (EPP, Poland), who called for the focus to be shifted to reducing emissions, especially in ship waiting areas close to cities.
Green alternative. Furthermore, Ms Delli advocates that maritime transport be promoted at European level as an alternative to road and air transport of goods and passengers, in particular by means of “significant financial support” for alternative maritime links to land transport.
Finally, the Commission is invited to put in place measures to green the European shipbuilding industry.
The draft report - which contains a total of around 20 proposals - was welcomed by the TRAN Committee. In particular, several shadow rapporteurs stressed the importance of calling for significant funding to support this transition and to work towards the competitiveness of the European maritime transport sector.
To view the full report: https://bit.ly/37U9GGO (Original version in French by Agathe Cherki)