ESPO reiterates its concern that the application of the EU ETS to shipping could undermine the competitiveness of European ports

In view of next Wednesday's meeting of the Parliament's Committee on Industry, Research and Energy European that will also deal with the ETS system, the association of European ports highlighted that these ports of call in ports outside Europe could seriously compromise the effectiveness of the maritime ETS, as emissions would not be reduced generated overall by shipping, but indeed could even increase given that the change of course of the ships to reach non-EU ports could involve the lengthening of navigation.

ESPO pointed out that, in addition, the transfer of stopovers to non-European ports would subtract traffic and activities to European ports, with a particularly pronounced impact on those EU ports that are already in fierce competition with other ports of nations close to the EU, such as those located in the North Sea, in the Baltic Sea, in the Mediterranean and in the Black Sea.

For the European Sea Ports Organisation, then, the clause of safeguard included in the European Commission's proposal to mitigate this risk is too limited and too late, while - according to the association - it would be necessary to proceed to an overall assessment of the impact of the implications of the proposal on carbon leakage and Companies.

ESPO's belief is that, instead, to give a response to the problem of greenhouse gas emissions from ships the most suitable option would be by far that of a measure based on the global market, system that - took over the association - it would be more difficult to circumvent and would entail less risk of negative effects on competitiveness compared to a regional measure such as that proposed by the EU Commission. To this end, ESPO renewed its exhortation to the European Union to increase the pressure on the International Maritime Organization (IMO) to make progress in the development of such a market-based measure, to which - according to the association of European ports - should follow an alignment between the EU ETS and the market-based measure applied at level international.

"European ports - clarified Isabelle Ryckbost, Secretary-General of ESPO - are in favour of a system of emissions trading and see pricing as a excellent tool to promote more behaviors Ecological. However, the Commission's proposal contains too many loopholes that risk seriously damaging activities European ports without any gain in the reduction of emissions from maritime transport, on the contrary. Ships - noted Ryckbost - they can move, ports cannot. Polluter will not pay but will leave where possible, without any gain in terms of emissions. We simply can't wait and assess the damage that would result from the current proposal. The Commission, Parliament and the Council must take decisive action to prevent the risk of stopovers elusive, the relocation of port activities beyond outside the EU and the negative impact on connectivity European'.

Beyond market-based measurement, ESPO proposes also to broaden the scope of the proposal made by the European Commission considering, for the purposes of counting the ETS emissions, the elusive port of call at a neighboring non-EU port such as a stopover at an EU port. For the association, moreover, it would be it is necessary to strengthen the proposed monitoring mechanism in order to to clearly detect elusive trends and plan actions in the if such trends are identified.

Finally, ESPO asked that any revenues deriving from from the application of the ETS mechanism to shipping reinvested in the European maritime transport sector, in particular to facilitate the dissemination and use of sustainable alternative marine fuels, including the electrification of ships and port infrastructures in ship service.