European shipowners are asking that, as part of the review ETS (Emissions Trading System), the of EU emissions that is applied to the maritime sector from the beginning of 2024, the derogations already provided for, now in force only until 31 December 2030, become structural and permanent in relation to five areas of intervention, namely for islands, outermost regions, polar-class ships, for the public service activities and for the search and rescue, in order to safeguard competitiveness European maritime transport and the connectivity of local economies. For European Shipowners - ECSA, the derogations provided for EU ETS should also apply automatically and no longer be subordinate to the choice Member States, but become mandatory and across the Union at the time of transposition of the directive into national legislation.

In addition, ECSA recommends improvements to make derogations fit for purpose. In particular, according to association, for islands the derogation should be extended to all EU islands, including those with more than 200,000 permanent residents and island states, and for the transport of both passengers and goods. Today, the derogation covers routes between ports of a Member State and its islands, but only for ships passengers (excluding cruise ships) and ro-pax ferries, and only for islands with less than 200,000 permanent residents without road or rail connections with the mainland. ECSA considers that this demographic threshold is arbitrary and does not reflect reality degree of energy and transport isolation, and therefore proposes to extend the derogation to all EU islands and all types of ship, passengers and cargo. The document also proposes to include Ceuta and Melilla, Spanish autonomous cities with no land connections with mainland Spain, thus aligning itself with the to what is already provided for by the European FuelEU regulation Maritime, applied to the maritime sector from 2025.

According to ECSA, then, the derogation should cover all journeys from, to and between the outermost regions and all Member States and, in some cases, travel to countries and territories overseas countries that share the same critical issues of remoteness geographical. This - the association highlights - is essential to ensure basic connectivity for goods and passengers to these regions, maintaining a level playing field and supporting territorial cohesion.

With regard to polar class ships, the association notes that, since the higher emissions of these ships are not a choice rather, reflecting safety and security requirements Sailing in particularly harsh winter conditions, the derogation from the EU ETS should be made permanent and aligned equivalent provision in the FuelEU Regulation Maritime, which covers navigation in the presence of ice. Today, and Until 2030, these ships can give up 5% less allowances compared to verified emissions.

The association notes that the derogation for transnational public service obligations, which today exempts passenger ships and ro-pax ferries operating on transnational public service routes between Member States without land border and which should - in ECSA's view - become a permanent and automatic, aligning with the treatment already reserved by national public service obligations under of FuelEU Maritime.

Finally, ECSA calls for a specific derogation for search and rescue (SAR), arguing that ships engaged in such activities act within the scope of a binding legal obligation and not a normal commercial activity, and should not therefore be required to surrender emission allowances for the emissions directly related to these operations.

The presentation of the revision of the EU ETS by the The European Commission is expected next Friday.