Summary of developments in EU and the EU Fit for 55 policy package- Q2 2024
ATTN: ALL FULL MEMBERS
ALL TECHNICAL COMMITTEE MEMBERS
Dear Members,
You may find here below a summary of the latest EU developments (from April until June 2024) and the EU Fit 55 Policy Package.
A brief containing more details is also enclosed.
EU ETS
- The Commission has published a new initiative on permanent emissions storage through carbon capture and utilisation under the EU ETS Directive.
- Feedback from EU Shipowners associations is that many companies have issues getting their monitoring plans approved by their national authorities.
- The Commission confirmed that the EU ETS directive applies from 1st January 2024 and not from the date of transposition at the national level.
- A draft Guidance Document for shipping companies on the EU ETS and MRV Maritime Regulation is expected.
INNOVATION FUND
DG CLIMA will launch before the end of the year, a second Hydrogen Auction. The estimated budget for the general basket is €1 billion and for the maritime basket is €200 million.
- Eligibility criteria under the Innovation Fund 2024 General Call are not favorable for tramp international shipping and is considered virtually impossible for most tanker or dry bulk companies to meet, given the itinerant and global nature of tramping.
FUEL EU MARITIME
- With regards to the Reporting of the Emissions EU ETS &FUEL EU much information will be common and will only be reported once in THETIS FuelEU Database ecosystem.
- The Draft Template of the Fuel EU Monitoring plan of the FUEL EU Maritime is available
- 14 Implementing and Delegated Acts are expected.
- The implementing acts on verification activities and monitoring plans will be published in early July.
SUSTAINABILITY CERTIFICATION FOR MARINE BUNKER FUELS (ETS & FUEL EU)
Both FuelEU Maritime and ETS extension to maritime requires a demonstration of RED certification for biofuels and renewable synthetic fuels used onboard ships. The end-goal objective, under both scopes of FuelEU and MRV/ETS is to ensure that the Verifiers responsible for the assessment of compliance under both FuelEU and MRV/ETS receive robust reassuring evidence of RED-compliance of marine bunker fuels.
CORPORATE SUSTAINABILITY DUE DILIGENCE DIRECTIVE
The European Parliament formally adopted in plenary the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive. The rules will apply gradually to EU and non-EU companies and parent companies with turnover of more than 450 million euros.
NET ZERO INDUSTRY ACT (NZIA)
The European Parliament formally adopted the final text of the Net-Zero Industry Act (NZIA). For shipping fuels, introduced a benchmark to match 40% of the deployment needs for clean fuels for shipping with production capacity in Europe.
- The 40% benchmark of NZIA for advanced biofuels and e-fuels for shipping should be translated into concrete requirements for port infrastructure, as well as investments to turn major European ports into energy hubs
WASTE SHIPMENT REGULATION
The waste shipment regulation was published in the Official Journal of the EU on 30 April. It will enter into force on 20 May 2024. Based on the amended Article 82, ships can be recycled in recycling facilities located outside the OECD if they meet the requirements of the EU SRR and are added to the EU List, if they meet the requirements of the EU SRR and are added to the EU list.
ALTERNATIVE FUELS INFRASTRUCTURE REGULATION (AFIR)
The Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Regulation (AFIR), came into force on 13 April 2024.
EU MARITIME INDUSTRIAL STRATEGY
The Council conclusions adopted provide a framework for the Commission to develop a maritime industrial strategy.
NEW NORWEGIAN REGULATION ON HANDLING OF HULL BIOFOULING
The proposed regulation aims to prevent the introduction of hazardous invasive species to Norway through hull biofouling resulting from international shipping and to prevent the further spread of hazardous non-indigenous species in Norwegian waters. The regulation will enter into force on 01 July 2025.
Kind regards
Emmanuel Vergetis
