The European Shipowners' Association appreciated, as a "Important and long-awaited step in the right direction", the explicit targeting of the maritime industry, both at EU level EU ETS revenues generated by the sector, or 110 million allowances, worth around €10 billion, envisaged by the proposal for the revision of the Emissions Trading System EU emissions presented today by the European Commission ( of 17 July 2026). For European Shipowners - ECSA, however, it is a matter of only a first step, also in consideration of the fact that they are only about 10 billion out of the 90 billion euros that the sector is expected to pay into the system between 2030 and 2040. The association believes, in fact, that the full potential of revenues generated by maritime transport should be used for the energy transition of the sector.

According to ECSA, support is also going in the right direction the adoption and availability of marine fuels provided for in the proposal, as well as the simplification of reporting requirements by being a step towards essential to reduce unnecessary administrative burdens.

However, for ECSA, the proposal does not sufficiently support the energy efficiency projects and the adoption of clean technologies, failing to sustain the full spectrum of technologies outlined in the Commission's proposal on the Industrial Accelerator Act. In In particular, the association notes that the proposal provides for a list of of eligible technologies, while this list should encompass the full range of efficiency projects energy that can generate immediate savings on emissions for the entire existing fleet, as well as new technologies necessary for the use of clean fuels.

The European shipowners' association also complained that exemptions from the system for small islands, ice-class ships and outermost regions have been extended by the proposal only up to to 2035, rather than for the entire operational period of the system European Emissions Trading Scheme. ECSA considers that the derogations should be extended and made automatic, permanent, and adequate for the purpose.

ECA also noted that any proposal to support the competitiveness of EU ports must ensure the integrity of the and maintain a level playing field between all shipping segments.

On the possible overlap of the EU ETS with the framework international regulations for the decarbonisation of shipping, when it will be adopted by the International Maritime Organization, ECSA welcomed the fact that the proposal provides for avoid double payments for shipping companies if international agreement at the IMO, but noted whereas the proposal does not send a strong signal to the Community that the EU ETS will be withdrawn once an IMO agreement has been adopted.

"Today - he commented ECSA Secretary General, Sotiris Raptis - Commission has taken a first step towards allocating revenue ETS at EU and national level. Support for fuels is welcome and necessary to make them available at European and global level. In this regard, support for the availability of fuels in third countries is encouraging. However, the proposal fails to guarantee the adoption of clean technologies, limiting support to only wind power and electricity. Technologies that can Rapidly improve energy efficiency and deliver savings on emissions - denounced Raptis - remain without support".