Council of the EU — 2023-03-23
News from Brussels
More renewable and low-carbon fuels will reduce the carbon footprint of the maritime sector in the EU following today’s provisional political agreement between the Council and the European Parliament.
Today we managed to agree another part of the Fit for 55 package. The agreement will ensure a level playing field and make sure that fuel suppliers, ships and maritime operators will have sufficient time to adapt for the new conditions so the maritime sector will deliver on the climate targets.
The main objective of the FuelEU Maritime initiative, as a key part of the EU’s Fit for 55 package, is to increase the demand for and consistent use of renewable and low-carbon fuels and reduce the greenhouse gas emissions from the maritime sector, while ensuring the smooth operation of maritime traffic and avoiding distortions in the internal market.
The proposal aims to put maritime transport on the trajectory of the EU’s climate targets for 2030 and 2050 and should play a fundamental role in delivering on the European climate law.
Main amendments to the Commission’s proposal
The text of the provisional agreement retains the core aspects of the Commission’s proposal. The co-legislators made some amendments, in particular:
Next steps
The provisional political agreement is now subject to formal approval by the two co-legislators. On the Council’s side, the Swedish presidency intends to submit the text to the member states’ representatives (Coreper) as soon as possible with a view to itsformal adoption by one of the upcoming Councils.
Background information
The FuelEU Maritime initiative is part of the Fit for 55 package. Presented by the European Commission on 2021 July 14, the package aims to enable the EU to reduce its net greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55% by 2030 compared to 1990 levels and to achieve climate neutrality in 2050.
On 2 June 2022, the Transport Council reached a general approach on the proposal.