A group of MEPs from the PfE political group, including Susanna Ceccardi and others, have called for urgent corrective actions to address the economic disruption caused by extending the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS) to the maritime sector. Their parliamentary question highlights concerns that the ETS’s full compliance enforcement from 2026 is impacting EU ports, maritime routes, and island connectivity, potentially threatening local economies and competitiveness.
The question addressed to the European Commission by Ceccardi, Vannacci, Tovaglieri, Cisint, and Sardone urges the Commission to reconsider or modify the ETS Directive. Specifically, they seek clarity on whether ETS revenues will be reinvested into the maritime sector and whether the Commission agrees to suspend or delay ETS’s maritime extension pending a global emission scheme from the International Maritime Organisation (IMO).
In response, Mr. Hoekstra, representing the Commission, emphasized that all sectors, including maritime transport, must contribute to the EU's climate neutrality goal by 2050, with ETS playing a pivotal role. While acknowledging the concerns, the Commission report finds no evidence of major market disruptions directly from EU ETS introduction in maritime transport. The Commission pledges close monitoring to identify evasive behaviors and will propose corrective measures if necessary.
On revenue use, Member States must allocate ETS auction proceeds to climate action, including maritime decarbonization, with €20 million worth of allowances earmarked until 2030 for innovation funding. Review clauses in the legislation ensure adaptability to future IMO developments, underpinning a policy stance favoring sustained emission reductions over suspending ETS measures.
This policy reflects ongoing cleavages over balancing EU climate ambitions against the competitiveness of specific sectors, here maritime transport and associated port infrastructure, with concerns over the strength and scope of EU regulatory reach. Stakeholders affected include EU regulatory bodies enforcing ETS, maritime industry operators facing compliance costs, port authorities confronting traffic shifts, and island communities relying on viable sea linkages.
The Commission is expected to continue its vigilant oversight and deliver further policy signals in due course, as mandated by parliamentary procedures, advancing its commitment to climate goals alongside economic considerations in maritime transport.
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