Monitoring, reporting and verification of greenhouse gas emissions from maritime transport
The Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety adopted the report by Peter LIESE (EPP, DE) on the proposal for a directive of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Directive 2003/87/EC establishing a system for greenhouse gas emission allowance trading within the Union, Decision (EU) 2015/1814 concerning the establishment and operation of a market stability reserve for the Union greenhouse gas emission trading scheme and Regulation (EU) 2015/757.
The committee responsible recommended that the European Parliament's position adopted at first reading under the ordinary legislative procedure should amend the proposal as follows:
Amendments to Regulation (EU) 2015/757 on the monitoring, reporting and verification of greenhouse gas emissions from maritime transport
The amendments proposed by committee seek to provide for the inclusion of maritime transport activities in the EU Emissions Trading System and for the monitoring, reporting and verification of emissions of additional greenhouse gases and emissions from additional ship types.
The amended text modified the subject matter to stipulate that this Regulation should lay down rules for the accurate monitoring, reporting and verification of greenhouse gas emissions and of other relevant information from ships arriving at, within or departing from ports under the jurisdiction of a Member State, in order to promote the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions from maritime transport in a cost effective manner.
Scope
To take account of the Union's strengthened climate objectives as well as the objectives of the Paris Agreement, it is proposed to amend the scope of Regulation (EU) 2015/757.
The amended text points out that while carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions account for the vast majority of greenhouse gas emissions from shipping, methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions account for a significant proportion of these emissions. Members therefore proposed the inclusion of CH4 and N2O emissions in Regulation (EU) 2015/757. This should apply from 2024.
In order to increase the environmental effectiveness of the monitoring, reporting and verification system, ensure a level playing field and reduce the risk of circumvention, general cargo ships of less than 5000 but not less than 400 gross tonnage should be included in Regulation (EU) 2015/757 from 2025.
The regulation should also apply to offshore ships of 400 gross tonnage or more from 2025.
The Commission should assess before 31 December 2024 whether other types of ships of less than 5000 but not less than 400 gross tonnage should be included in Regulation (EU) 2015/757.
Methods for monitoring CO2 emissions and other relevant information
By 1 October 2023, the Commission should adopt the delegated acts to take into account the inclusion of CH4 and N2O emissions, as well as the inclusion of greenhouse gas emissions from offshore ships, within the scope of this Regulation. The methods for monitoring CH4 and N2O emissions should be based on the same principles as the methods for monitoring CO2 emissions.
Reporting
From 2025, by 31 March of each year, companies should, for each ship under their responsibility, submit to the administering authority responsible, to the authorities of the flag States concerned for ships flying the flag of a Member State and to the Commission an emissions report for the entire reporting period of the previous year, which has been verified as satisfactory by a verifier. The administering authority responsible may require companies to submit their emissions reports by a date earlier than 31 March, but not earlier than by 28 February.
Publication of information and Commission report
Members proposed that the Commission should, every two years, assess the overall impact of maritime transport activities on the global climate, including through emissions or effects of greenhouse gases other than CO2 and of particles with a global warming potential not covered by this Regulation.
Review
Lastly, the Commission should, no later than 31 December 2024, review this Regulation, in particular taking into account further experience gained in its implementation, inter alia for the purpose of including ships below 5 000 gross tonnage but not below 400 gross tonnage within the scope of this Regulation with a view to a possible subsequent inclusion of such ships within the scope of Directive 2003/87/EC or to proposing other measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from such ships.