{"id":98138,"date":"2026-02-22T08:41:58","date_gmt":"2026-02-22T11:41:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/shipping.einnews.com\/article\/894525895"},"modified":"2026-02-22T08:41:58","modified_gmt":"2026-02-22T11:41:58","slug":"eu-faces-balancing-act-over-ets-expansion-to-global-shipping","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/new7.shop\/zerocostfreehost\/index.php\/2026\/02\/22\/eu-faces-balancing-act-over-ets-expansion-to-global-shipping\/","title":{"rendered":"EU faces balancing act over ETS expansion to global shipping"},"content":{"rendered":"

The European Union has entered a decisive stage in its climate agenda as the European Commission launches an in\u2011depth review of the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS), a process that will shape the Union\u2019s carbon\u2011pricing framework beyond 2030. Among the key issues under examination are sectoral expansion, possible changes to address carbon leakage, the market stability reserve, the use of ETS revenues and potential linkages with other carbon markets.<\/p>\n

Reforms introduced back in 2022 brought shipping into the ETS for the first time, requiring operators of vessels above 5,000\u202fgross\u202ftonnes to surrender allowances for 100\u202fper\u202fcent of emissions on intra\u2011EU voyages and 50\u202fper\u202fcent of emissions on voyages between EU and non\u2011EU ports. The European Parliament had also insisted that further extension of coverage would depend on developments at the International Maritime Organization (IMO).<\/p>\n

Under the Directive, if by 2028 the IMO fails to adopt a global market\u2011based measure aligned with the Paris Agreement\u2019s goals and at least as ambitious as the EU\u2019s ETS, the Commission must submit a report accompanied by a legislative proposal to amend the Directive. In practical terms, this means Brussels will assess the IMO\u2019s progress and decide whether to maintain the current partial coverage or extend ETS obligations to all international voyages touching EU ports.<\/p>\n

Last Autumn, the IMO had deferred its vote on a draft global carbon-pricing framework, after more than\u202f50\u202fmember states raised concerns over the scheme\u2019s design, pace and potential economic impact on developing and emerging maritime nations.<\/p>\n

The Malta Maritime Forum (MMF), which has long warned that the ETS could erode the competitiveness of peripheral ports, has urged caution. MMF Chairman Godwin\u202fXerri said the Commission\u2019s intention to amend the ETS \u201cremains vague and premature,\u201d insisting that \u201cEurope should not move ahead with changes until there is one single global market measure that can be enforced equally all over the world.\u201d<\/p>\n

He added that the ETS \u201cwas designed for continental economies, not islands whose connectivity, and ultimately their economic survival, depend entirely on maritime transport.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cRising compliance costs\u201d, he warned, \u201ccould threaten essential shipping routes and Malta\u2019s wider economic resilience.\u201d<\/p>\n

Xerri welcomed the Parliament\u2019s earlier safeguards for island and outermost regions, particularly Amendment\u202f244, which obliges the Commission to evaluate the specific needs of island territories, but said such provisions now need \u201cconcrete operational interpretation before new obligations are imposed.\u201d<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, Maltese MEPs Peter\u202fAgius (EPP) and Thomas\u202fBajada (S&D) have joined colleagues from Italy and Cyprus in calling for an \u201cIsland Clause\u201d within the ETS to recognise the distinct economic pressures on island states.<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/div>\n

Dr Agius said that while the European Union\u2019s commitment to climate neutrality was \u201ca noble and necessary objective,\u201d the ETS extension to maritime had placed a disproportionate burden on island economies. Because maritime routes are longer and alternatives limited, island states end up paying significantly more for emissions generated by essential transport links.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe further you are from the centre, the higher your cost under the ETS,\u201d he said, noting that countries such as Malta, Cyprus and the Greek islands were bearing the brunt of a policy that does not reflect their structural dependency on sea transport.<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/div>\n

\u201cWe want a systemic and general safeguard on the needs of islands for them not be placed under disproportionate pressure,\u201d Agius added.<\/p>\n

He added that the MEPs would also be pressing for a Mobility Package tailored to island connectivity and expected the Commission to present a dedicated strategy for island communities, to identify how islands are protected.<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/div>\n
<\/section>\n

<\/a><\/strong> <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

… introduced back in 2022 brought shipping<\/span> into the ETS for the … \u00e2\u0080\u009d, he warned, \u00e2\u0080\u009ccould threaten essential shipping<\/span> routes and Malta\u00e2\u0080\u0099s wider …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-98138","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-news","wpcat-1-id"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/new7.shop\/zerocostfreehost\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/98138","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/new7.shop\/zerocostfreehost\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/new7.shop\/zerocostfreehost\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new7.shop\/zerocostfreehost\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new7.shop\/zerocostfreehost\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=98138"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/new7.shop\/zerocostfreehost\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/98138\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/new7.shop\/zerocostfreehost\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=98138"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new7.shop\/zerocostfreehost\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=98138"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new7.shop\/zerocostfreehost\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=98138"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}