TRIESTE – The EU Transport Council, held today in Brussels with Minister Matteo Salvini in attendance, discussed an information note submitted by Italy and also backed by Greece and Malta on the negative consequences of the ETS (Emissions Trading System).It underscored the urgency of suspending the rules as applied to the maritime sector and introducing corrective measures to protect the most fragile traffic segments: transhipment, Motorways of the Sea and links with the main islands. The ETS Directive is the EU legislation that establishes a greenhouse-gas emissions allowance trading system to reduce emissions efficiently. It works through a “cap-and-trade” approach: an overall cap is set on emissions, and companies that emit more must buy allowances from those that emit less, thereby encouraging emissions reductions.
«Italy’s information note — says Stefano Messina, president of Assarmatori — is thorough and consistent with the commitment our country, together with our Mediterranean partners, has pursued for some time to address the distortions created by maritime ETS. Unfortunately, the ideological short-sightedness of part of the Commission, which continues to rely on partial and inaccurate market monitoring, is holding back concrete solutions that are essential for the sector. However, the renewed pro-industry focus shown in recent months by the European institutions, and reiterated by the Commissioner for Transport Tzitzikostas in the chamber, gives reason to hope that the revision of the Directive, scheduled for next year, can finally mark a change of pace for maritime transport».
With the Green Deal, Assarmatori explains, the EU adopted an extremely strict climate framework that is insensitive to the specific features of the most vulnerable segments of the maritime-port system. The aim was to drive global awareness at IMO level and encourage the adoption of similar climate measures worldwide. The recent postponement of the vote on the Net Zero Framework has, however, slowed this path.
«So we need to rapidly fix the shortcomings of the ETS Directive, without waiting for the pace of negotiations within the IMO– Messina continues – European regional measures are already encouraging increased investments and traffic towards North African transhipment terminals and generating worrying market trends for Motorways of the Sea services and links with the main islands. The proposals put forward by Italy and its two Mediterranean partners, which Portugal and Croatia also supported, set out a clear action plan: from suspending application of the Directive to exempting the hardest-hit segments. The next few months will be decisive. The Government’s commitment, and in particular Minister Salvini’s, could prove decisive in leading the Mediterranean front during the upcoming negotiations».
