Directive 2009/29/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council (3) and Decision No 406/2009/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council (4) which call for contributions from all sectors of the economy to achieve emission reductions, including the international maritime shipping sector, provide that in the event that no international agreement which includes international maritime emissions in its reduction targets through the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) has been approved by Member States or no such agreement through the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change has been approved by the Community by 31 December 2011, the Commission should make a proposal to include international maritime emissions in the Community reduction commitment, with the aim of the proposed act entering into force by 2013. Such a proposal should minimise any negative impact on the Community's competitiveness while taking into account the potential environmental benefits.
(2)
Maritime transport has an impact on the global climate and on air quality, as a result of the carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions and other emissions that it generates, such as nitrogen oxides (NOx), sulphur oxides (SOx), methane (CH4), particulate matter (PM) and black carbon (BC).
(3)
International maritime shipping remains the only means of transportation not included in the Union's commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. According to the impact assessment accompanying the proposal for this Regulation, Union-related CO2 emissions from international shipping increased by 48 % between 1990 and 2007.
(4)
In the light of the rapidly developing scientific understanding of the impact of non-CO2 related emissions from maritime transport on the global climate, an updated assessment of that impact should be carried out regularly in the context of this Regulation. Based on its assessments, the Commission should analyse the implications for policies and measures, in order to reduce those emissions.
(5)
The European Parliament's Resolution of 5 February 2014 on a 2030 framework for climate and energy policies called on the Commission and the Member States to set a binding EU 2030 target of reducing domestic greenhouse gas emissions by at least 40 % compared to 1990 levels. The European Parliament also pointed out that all sectors of the economy would need to contribute to reducing greenhouse gas emissions if the Union is to deliver its fair share of global efforts.
(6)
In its Conclusions of 23 and 24 October 2014, the European Council endorsed a binding EU target of an at least 40 % domestic reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 compared to 1990. The European Council also stated the importance of reducing greenhouse gas emissions and risks related to fossil fuel dependency in the transport sector and invited the Commission to further examine instruments and measures for a comprehensive and technology-neutral approach, inter alia, for the promotion of emissions reduction and energy efficiency in transport.
(7)
The 7th Environment Action Programme (EAP) (5) underlines that all sectors of the economy will need to contribute to reducing greenhouse gas emissions if the Union is to deliver its fair share of global efforts. In this context the 7th EAP highlights that the White paper on transport of 2011 needs to be underpinned by a strong policy framework.
(8)
In July 2011, the IMO adopted technical and operational measures, in particular the Energy Efficiency Design Index (EEDI) for new ships and the Ship Energy Efficiency Management Plan (SEEMP), which will bring improvement in terms of reducing the expected increase in greenhouse gas emissions, but alone cannot lead to the necessary absolute reductions of greenhouse gas emissions from international shipping to keep efforts in line with the global objective of limiting increases in global temperatures to 2 °C.
(9)
According to data provided by the IMO, the specific energy consumption and CO2 emissions of ships could be reduced by up to 75 % by applying operational measures and implementing existing technologies; a significant part of those measures can be regarded as cost-effective and being such that they could offer net benefits to the sector, as the reduced fuel costs ensure the pay-back of any operational or investment costs.
(10)
In order to reduce CO2 emissions from shipping at Union level, the best possible option remains setting up a system for monitoring, reporting and verification (MRV system) of CO2 emissions based on the fuel consumption of ships as a first step of a staged approach for the inclusion of maritime transport emissions in the Union's greenhouse gas reduction commitment, alongside emissions from other sectors that are already contributing to that commitment. Public access to the emissions data will contribute to removing market barriers that prevent the uptake of many cost-negative measures which would reduce greenhouse gas emissions from maritime transport.
(11)
The adoption of measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and fuel consumption is hampered by the existence of market barriers such as a lack of reliable information on the fuel efficiency of ships or of technologies available for retrofitting ships, a lack of access to finance for investments in ship efficiency, and split incentives, as shipowners would not benefit from their investments in ship efficiency when fuel bills are paid by operators.
(12)
The results of the stakeholder consultation and discussions with international partners indicate that a staged approach for the inclusion of maritime transport emissions in the Union's greenhouse gas reduction commitment should be applied with the implementation of a robust MRV system for CO2 emissions from maritime transport as a first step and the pricing of those emissions at a later stage. This approach facilitates the making of significant progress at international level on the agreement of greenhouse gas emission reduction targets and further measures to achieve those reductions at minimum cost.
(13)
The introduction of a Union MRV system is expected to lead to emission reductions of up to 2 % compared to business-as-usual, and aggregated net costs reductions of up to EUR 1,2 billion by 2030 as it could contribute to the removal of market barriers, in particular those related to the lack of information about ship efficiency, by providing comparable and reliable information on fuel consumption and energy efficiency to the relevant markets. This reduction of transport costs should facilitate international trade. Furthermore, a robust MRV system is a prerequisite for any market-based measure, efficiency standard or other measure, whether applied at Union level or globally. It also provides reliable data to set precise emission reduction targets and to assess the progress of maritime transport's contribution towards achieving a low carbon economy. Given the international nature of shipping, the preferred and most effective method of reducing greenhouse gas emissions in international maritime transport would be by global agreement.
(14)
All intra-Union voyages, all incoming voyages from the last non-Union port to the first Union port of call and all outgoing voyages from a Union port to the next non-Union port of call, including ballast voyages, should be considered relevant for the purposes of monitoring. CO2 emissions in Union ports, including emissions arising from ships at berth or moving within a port, should also be covered, particularly as specific measures for their reduction or avoidance are available. These rules should be applied in a non-discriminatory manner to all ships regardless of their flag. However, since this Regulation focuses on maritime transport, it should not establish monitoring, reporting and verification requirements for ship movements and activities not serving the purpose of transporting cargo or passengers for commercial purposes, such as dredging, ice-breaking, pipe laying or offshore installation activities.
(15)
To ensure a level-playing field for ships operating in less favourable climate conditions, it should be possible to include specific information relating to a ship's ice class, and to its navigation through ice, in the data monitored on the basis of this Regulation.
(16)
The proposed MRV system should take the form of a Regulation on account of the complex and highly technical nature of provisions to be introduced, the need for uniform rules applicable throughout the Union to reflect the international nature of maritime transport with numerous ships being expected to call at ports in different Member States, and to facilitate implementation throughout the Union.
(17)
A robust ship-specific Union MRV system should be based on the calculation of emissions from fuel consumed on voyages to and from Union ports, as fuel sales data could not provide appropriately accurate estimates for the fuel consumption within this specific scope, due to the large tank capacities of ships.
(18)
The Union MRV system should also cover other relevant information allowing for the determination of ships' efficiency or for the further analysis of the drivers for the development of emissions, while preserving the confidentiality of commercial or industrial information. This scope also aligns the Union MRV system with international initiatives to introduce efficiency standards for existing ships, also covering operational measures, and contributes to the removal of market barriers related to the lack of information.
(19)
In order to minimise the administrative burden for shipowners and operators, in particular for small and medium-sized enterprises, and to optimise the cost-benefit ratio of the MRV system without jeopardising the objective of covering a widely predominant share of greenhouse gas emissions from maritime transport, the rules for MRV should only apply to large emitters. A threshold of 5 000 gross tonnage (GT) has been selected after detailed objective analysis of sizes and emissions of ships going to and coming from Union ports. Ships above 5 000 GT account for around 55 % of the number of ships calling into Union ports and represent around 90 % of the related emissions. This non-discriminatory threshold would ensure that that the most relevant emitters are covered. A lower threshold would result in a higher administrative burden while a higher threshold would limit the coverage of emissions and thus the environmental effectiveness of the MRV system.
(20)
To further reduce the administrative burden for shipowners and operators, the monitoring rules should focus on CO2 as the most relevant greenhouse gas emitted by maritime transport.
(21)
The rules should take into account existing requirements and data already available on board ships; therefore, companies should be given the opportunity to select one of the following four monitoring methods: the use of Bunker Fuel Delivery Notes, bunker fuel tank monitoring on-board, flow meters for applicable combustion processes or direct emission measurements. A monitoring plan specific to each ship should document the choice made and provide further details on the application of the selected method.
(22)
Any company with responsibility for an entire reporting period over a ship performing shipping activities should be considered responsible for all monitoring and reporting obligations arising in relation to that reporting period, including the submission of a satisfactorily verified emissions report. In the event of a change of company, the new company should only be responsible for the monitoring and reporting obligations related to the reporting period during which the change of company has taken place. To facilitate the fulfilment of these obligations, the new company should receive a copy of the latest monitoring plan and document of compliance, if applicable.
(23)
Other greenhouse gases, climate forcers or air pollutants should not be covered by the Union MRV system at this stage to avoid requirements to install not sufficiently reliable or commercially available measuring equipment, which could impede the implementation of the Union MRV system.
(24)
The IMO International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL) provides for the mandatory application of the EEDI to new ships and the use of SEEMPs throughout the entire world fleet.
(25)
To minimise the administrative burden for shipowners and operators, reporting and publication of reported information should be organised on an annual basis. By restricting the publication of emissions, fuel consumption and efficiency-related information to annual averages and aggregated figures, confidentiality issues should be addressed. In order to ensure that the protection of legitimate economic interests overriding the public interest in disclosure is not undermined, a different level of aggregation of data should be applied in exceptional cases at the request of the company. The data reported to the Commission should be integrated with statistics to the extent that those data are relevant for the development, production and dissemination of European statistics in accordance with Commission Decision 2012/504/EU (6).
(26)
Verification by accredited verifiers should ensure that monitoring plans and emissions reports are correct and in compliance with the requirements set out in this Regulation. As an important element to simplify verification, verifiers should check data credibility by comparing reported data with estimated data based on ship tracking data and characteristics. Such estimates could be provided by the Commission. In order to ensure impartiality, verifiers should be independent and competent legal entities and should be accredited by national accreditation bodies established pursuant to Regulation (EC) No 765/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council (7).
(27)
A document of compliance issued by a verifier should be kept on board ships to demonstrate compliance with the obligations for monitoring, reporting and verification. Verifiers should inform the Commission of the issuance of such documents.
(28)
Based on experience from similar tasks related to maritime safety, the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) should, within the framework of its mandate, support the Commission by carrying out certain tasks.
(29)
Enforcement of the obligations relating to the MRV system should be based on existing instruments, namely those established under Directive 2009/16/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council (8) and Directive 2009/21/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council (9), and on information on the issuance of documents of compliance. The document confirming compliance of the ship with the monitoring and reporting obligations should be added to the list of certificates and documents referred to in Annex IV to Directive 2009/16/EC.
(30)
Member States should endeavour to inspect ships which enter ports under their jurisdiction and for which certain required information concerning the document of compliance is not available.
(31)
Non-compliance with the provisions of this Regulation should result in the application of penalties. Member States should lay down rules on those penalties. Those penalties should be effective, proportionate and dissuasive.
(32)
In the case of ships having failed to comply with monitoring and reporting requirements for two or more consecutive reporting periods and where other enforcement measures have failed to ensure compliance, it is appropriate to provide for the possibility of expulsion. Such a measure should be applied in such a way as to allow the situation of non-compliance to be rectified within a reasonable period of time.
(33)
Member States that have no maritime ports in their territory and which have no ships flying their flag and falling under the scope of this Regulation, or which have closed their national ship registers, should be able to derogate from the provisions of this Regulation relating to penalties, as long as no such ships are flying their flag.
(34)
The Union MRV system should serve as a model for the implementation of a global MRV system. A global MRV system is preferable as it could be regarded as more effective due to its broader scope. In this context, and with a view to facilitating the development of international rules within the IMO for the monitoring, reporting and verification of greenhouse gas emissions from maritime transport, the Commission should share relevant information on the implementation of this Regulation with the IMO and other relevant international bodies on a regular basis and relevant submissions should be made to the IMO. Where an agreement on a global MRV system is reached, the Commission should review the Union MRV system with a view to aligning it to the global MRV system.
(35)
In order to take account of relevant international rules and international and European standards as well as technological and scientific developments, the power to adopt acts in accordance with Article 290 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union should be delegated to the Commission in respect of reviewing certain technical aspects of monitoring and reporting of CO2 emissions from ships and of further specifying the rules for the verification activities and the methods of accreditation of verifiers. It is of particular importance that the Commission carry out appropriate consultations during its preparatory work, including at expert level. The Commission, when preparing and drawing-up delegated acts, should ensure a simultaneous, timely and appropriate transmission of relevant documents to the European Parliament and to the Council.
(36)
In order to ensure uniform conditions for the use of standard templates for the monitoring of CO2 emissions and other relevant information, for the use of automated systems and standard electronic templates for the coherent reporting of CO2 emissions and other relevant information to the Commission and the authorities of the flag States concerned, for the specification of technical rules specifying the parameters applicable to categories of ships other than passenger, ro-ro and container ships and for the revision of those parameters, implementing powers should be conferred on the Commission. Those powers should be exercised in accordance with Regulation (EU) No 182/2011 of the European Parliament and of the Council (10).
(37)
Since the objective of this Regulation, namely to monitor, report and verify CO2 emissions from ships as the first step of a staged approach to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, cannot be sufficiently achieved by the Member States, due to the international nature of maritime transport, but can rather, by reason of its scale and effects, be better achieved at Union level, the Union may adopt measures, in accordance with the principle of subsidiarity as set out in Article 5 of the Treaty on European Union. In accordance with the principle of proportionality as set out in that Article, this Regulation does not go beyond what is necessary in order to achieve that objective.
(38)
The rules establishing the MRV system should comply with Directive 95/46/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council (11) and Regulation (EC) No 45/2001 of the European Parliament and of the Council (12).
(39)
This Regulation should enter into force on 1 July 2015 to ensure that the Member States and relevant stakeholders have sufficient time to take the necessary measures for the effective application of this Regulation before the first reporting period starting on 1 January 2018,
