ATTN: ALL FULL MEMBERS
Dear Full Members of INTERCARGO,
You may find here below a summary of latest EU developments and the EU Fit 55 Policy Package.
EU ETS
Summary of Developments
On 16 May EU ETS and EU MRV amendments along with additional pieces of the Fit For 55 Package were published in the Official Journal of the EU and can be found attached or in the EU website here: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=OJ:L:2023:130:TOC,
Next steps:
Delegated and implementing acts expected by October 2023
Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Directive (AFIR)
Background
The 2014 Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Directive required EU countries to develop national policy frameworks (NPFs) for developing publicly available refueling and recharging points for alternative fuel vehicles and vessels.
Summary of Developments
The Parliament’s TRAN Committee approved the draft provisional agreement, including:
- The provisions regarding Onshore Power Supply (OPS) in maritime ports are now fully consistent with the FuelEU Maritime proposal.
- A core network of LNG, liquefied biogas or synthetic liquefied methane, including blends of those fuels should be made available by 2025.
- Hydrogen and Ammonia could not be finalised during the trilogues and was therefore pushed-back but future reviews of the Regulation might integrate those fuels in the main text.
Next steps
The text will now go to Plenary for final approval.
Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive
Background
On 23 February 2022, the Commission adopted a proposal for a Directive on corporate sustainability due diligence. The Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive does not refer explicitly to shipping companies, but it has provisions for all the business sectors. Big shipping companies are expected to be impacted by the directive.
Summary of Developments
On 01 June the European Parliament formally adopted in plenary the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive. The final text is available in English on the Parliament’s website via this link.
- The reliable entities shall be the Directors of the companies (Article 25)
- The scope of the Directive covers companies with more than 250 employees and a turnover of at least €40 million.
- Obligations for the companies and their directors can be found in the EU website : https://commission.europa.eu/business-economy-euro/doing-business-eu/corporate-sustainability-due-diligence_en#what-are-the-obligations-for-companies-and-their-directors
- Activities that companies should perform in order to comply with the Directive are indicated in Article 4, and the main ones are companies to integrate due diligence into their policies, to identify and prevent actual or potential adverse impacts and to share information.
Next steps:
The first Trilogue is expected to take place on 08 June, where the European Commission, the Parliament and the Council will start the final talks to turn the proposal into law.
Kind regards
Emmanuel Vergetis
Regional Representative
Athens- Greece
