European-Parliament: CO2 emissions from shipping should be regulated internationally
The Industry Committee of the European Parliament adopted its report on the EU’s emissions trading scheme (ETS) and stressed that the climate impact of shipping should be regulated at UN level. The Committee therefore rejected the inclusion of shipping in the EU ETS. Conservative MEP Bendt Bendtsen firmly believes that this is a clear step in the right direction, Danish Shipowners' Association said in its press release.
Ahead of today’s important vote, several Members of the European Parliament had presented amendments which would have included shipping in the regional CO2 emission’s trading scheme of the EU. However, it was clear following the vote, that a large majority of the Committee believes shipping should be regulated globally.
Since the shipping industry is truly global, regional rules in the EU would be a setback for the competitiveness of Danish and European shipowners, according to Conservative Member of the Industry Committee, Bendt Bendtsen. He believes that a regional solution would not result in the desired reduction of CO2 emissions since the majority of the world’s fleet would not be part of the EU’s proposal.
”Today’s vote is important because it sends a clear signal. The vote reflects that a regional approach would not be sustainable for shipping, and that in order to achieve significant CO2 reductions, we have to look beyond our borders. This of course also means that the eyes of the European Parliament are now set on the IMO,” Mr. Bendtsen says.
Focus is now on the maritime organisation of the UN, IMO, which meets late October to decide on how to reduce the CO2-emissions of shipping at the international level.
“We are satisfied that a large majority of politicians in the Committee supported that shipping should be regulated in the UN. The Industry Committee stressed that the EU will hold the IMO accountable on CO2, which the Danish Shipowners’ Association fully supports,” says Simon C. Bergulf, Director EU Affairs of the Danish Shipowners’ Association.
The vote in the Industry Committee is the first step in the European Parliaments handling of the case. The next step is the Environment Committee’s opinion in December.