From 17 to 20 October, the European Parliament will debate and will vote on the FuelEU Maritime proposal for a regulation which has aim to promote the use of alternative fuels sustainable in the maritime transport sector and in EU ports and which is part of the "Fit for 55" package of measures presented on 14 July 2021 by the European Commission with the objective of reducing greenhouse gas emissions ( of 14 July 2021). At the end of last year the proposal is was adopted by the Transport, Telecommunications and Energy Council (TTE) of the European Union as a progress report of the text ( of 10 December 2021) and subsequently the proposal passed to scrutiny by parliamentary committees, with the Committee on Transport and Tourism (TRAN) which supported the level of ambition of the measure defined by the European Commission, but warned that the significant additional costs determined by the measure will be transferred to consumers.

Pending a positive vote by the European Parliament, the Transport & Environment (T&E) organisation, whose the objective is to achieve zero emissions from the transport, however, considers that the measure in its current form would not be enough to decarbonize shipping in in line with the objectives of the "Fit for 55". Explaining because in the opinion of T&E the proposal would not be quite ambitious, Delphine Gozillon, who in the organization is deals with the sustainability of maritime transport, has recalled that the Committee on Transport and Tourism (TRAN) of the European Parliament has proposed three main changes to the text of the EU Commission, requesting to raise from -13% to -20% to 2035 the average annual reduction rate of the intensity of carbon compared to the 2020 average, but leaving the targets for 2025 (-2%) and 2030 (-6%) remained unchanged, calling for the introduction of a subquota to impose on ships, but only of large maritime companies, to use at least the 2% renewable fuels of non-biological origin (RFNBO) by 2030 and to introduce a multiplier of two to reward companies that use RFNBO fuel by doubling their contribution to GHG emission reduction targets

Noting that although the text represents a net improvement over the European Commission's version, but it is still far from the levels of ambition proposed by the Commission for the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety (ENVI) and the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy (ITRE) of the European Parliament, T&O considers that the proposals of the Parliamentary committees should still be improved first by including small businesses in the subquota RFNBO and raising from 2% to 6% by 2030 the mandatory use RFNBO fuels; also - specified Gozillon - the rate average annual reduction in carbon intensity by 2030 should be raised to -13% and thirdly should ensure the transparency of the system by requesting the Commission European to publish compliance data similarly to what happens with the annual report on emissions in the framework of the MRV regulation (Monitoring, Reporting, Verification).

"The key to the decarbonisation of transport maritime - underlined Delphine Gozillon - will be the e-fuel green and we must encourage their rapid use the first possible. However, the TRAN Commission only suggests a slow start with a subquota of 2% in 2030 and with a provision exempting more than half of the companies of navigation, when both non-governmental organizations and the same sector are asking for at least 6%. At present the quota is such in name only. Now - urged Transport & Environment - the plenary session of the European Parliament must increase the level of ambition so that shipping companies can start the transition to a transport as soon as possible green maritime'.