Spain calls for a CO₂ market review to prevent the diversion of maritime routes outside the EU

Spain asked on Monday that the ongoing review of the European CO₂ emissions market (ETS) avoid incentivizing shipping companies to transfer stopovers and traffic from European Union (EU) ports to non-EU ports.
“It is necessary to better address the breakdown of direct transoceanic services and their redistribution from non-EU ports, avoiding incentivising a reorganisation of maritime traffic and the transfer of activities outside European ports,” said the Secretary of State for the Environment, Hugo Morán, during the Council of EU Environment Ministers.

Spain thus proposes that the reform of the ETS proposed by the European Commission last July introduces safeguards against possible changes in maritime routes derived from the cost of carbon, a concern shared by countries such as Italy, Malta, Cyprus and Portugal. Maritime transport is progressively being incorporated into the European emissions market, which obliges companies to acquire rights for the CO₂ generated by their activities.

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