Ahead of the upcoming revision of the European Emissions Trading System (ETS), European shipowners (ECSA) are urging the Commission to make maritime derogations permanent after 2030 and ensure they meet modern requirements.
Shipping accounts for about 76% of the EU's external trade and ensures connectivity with islands, remote regions, and icy territories of Europe. To maintain the competitiveness of European shipping and the connectivity of local economies, derogations under the EU ETS should be applied automatically, regardless of member states' decisions to activate them, and should remain in effect permanently after 2030.
Recommendations from European shipowners
- Targeted improvements to ensure derogations meet modern requirements.
- Maintain the current geographical scope of the EU ETS for shipping, provided that these recommendations are taken into account.
A stable geographical scope provides the sector with the necessary predictability. Permanent and compliant derogations complete this framework, ensuring its operation for islands, remote regions, icy territories, and trade routes.
It is worth noting that the 'Fit for 55' package introduced ambitious measures for Europe to reduce emissions by at least 55% by 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality by 2050.
Maritime transport has been covered by the European Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) since 2024 and FuelEU Maritime since 2025. Although shipping has been covered for only a short time, it has demonstrated an extremely high level of compliance with regulations.
As Sotiris Raptis, Secretary General of European Shipowners (ECSA), explained in a previous interview with SAFETY4SEA, European shipping is an asset for Europe and a cornerstone of its energy, food, and supply chain security.
European shipping controls 34.5% of global tonnage across all key shipping segments.
