ECSA suggests some corrections to the EU Commission's proposal for the inclusion of shipping in the EU ETS

About the effect that the EU Commission's proposal will have have on the shipping industry, in their own document the European Community Shipowners' Associations (ECSA) points out that if reference is made in recitals 33 and 35 of the proposal to financing the decarbonisation of the maritime sector under the Innovation Fund, including through carbon difference contracts (CDDs), however in articles of the proposal - complains the shipowners' association - there is no no legally binding commitment to allocate revenue to the maritime sector.

Recalling that ECSA has always hoped that the theme of reduction of shipping emissions was addressed and resolved by an international regulation adopted within the to the International Maritime Organization (IMO) rather than a regional norm, the president of the association, Claes Berglund, has however confirmed that the European shipowners agree in the believe that shipping "should contribute with its own fair share to tackle the climate crisis also at the level of the EU. ECSA - said Berglund - supports the creation of a dedicated fund under the EU ETS to stabilise the carbon price, which is particularly important for the many small and medium-sized enterprises in the maritime sector. It's important remark - added the president of the European shipowners - that the revenues generated should support the adoption of fuels clean'.

The ECSA, as already several shipowners' associations of EU Member States in the aftermath of the presentation of the proposal of the European Commission ( of 15 and 16 July 2021), reiterated the need for the correct application, provided for in the proposal for a European directive, of the "polluter pays" principle, with the imputation of EU ETS costs to the entity responsible for adopting operational decisions affecting the CO2 emissions of a ship. In this respect, ECSA has expressed its support for the recognition, in the recitals of the proposal, of the role of the ship's commercial operator, but complained that, despite this clear political direction, the proposal of the Commission does not introduce binding requirements and leaves the transfer of costs to market dynamics. 'The application of the 'polluter pays' principle to shipping - taken over the Acting Secretary-General of ECSA, Sotiris Raptis - is essential to take further efficiency measures and for the adoption of clean fuels in the sector. ECSA supports that the trader has to bear the costs of the EU ETS. The law - specified Raptis - should oblige the entity responsible for decisions affecting CO2 emissions of a ship to bear the costs arising from the implementation of the EU ETS in the context of a contractual agreement'.