European Union and IMO gear up for debate on CO2 emissions of shipping

In the coming months, the European Parliament is set to have a debate on the Commission’s proposal on establishing an EU system for monitoring, reporting and verifying (MRV) CO2 emissions from large ships calling at EU ports.

The proposal was published in June and requires owners of large ships (above...

TEN-T/Connecting Europe: MEPs give the green light

Today, during the European Parliament’s Plenary session in Strasbourg, MEPs endorsed a deal with Member States on the EU's new Connecting Europe Facility (CEF), a new funding instrument that aims to speed up the completion of key trans-European transport, energy and telecoms links.

The CEF will have a total budget...

E-Maritime to play pivotal role in Commission's upcoming strategy for logistics in Europe

At a conference on the future of logistics in Europe, which took place in Brussels last week, the European Commission announced that it intends to publish a framework strategy document on the future of logistics in Europe.

The ultimate goal of the announced Commission initiative is to find ways of...

And Then There Were None: Rapporteur Fleckenstein proposes to exclude pilotage and dredging from Ports Regulation

The Draft report of MEP Knut Fleckenstein, the rapporteur on the European Commission proposal for a Regulation on Market access to port services and financial transparency of ports was published on 8 November 2013 and will be discussed in the Transport & Tourism Committee (TRAN) of the European Parliament on...

ECSA welcomes vote on Maritime Spatial Planning in Parliament

The European Parliament's Transport and Tourism Committee (TRAN) adopted on 05 November, with 32 votes in favour, 7 against, 0 abstentions, a draft report by rapporteur Gesine Meissner (ALDE, FDP, Germany) on a proposal for a directive for the establishment and implementation of maritime spatial planning and integrated coastal management...

EMSA November 2013 Newsletter

The EMSA November 2013 Newsletter is available here

European Commission launches investigation into French tonnage tax scheme

The European Commission has opened a formal in-depth investigation to examine whether changes to the French tax rules for maritime companies are in line with EU state aid guidelines to maritime transport.The Commission intends to focus in particular on the inclusion of time chartered vessels under non-EU flags in the...

EU Member States agree on ratifying Hong Kong Convention for the safe and sound recycling of ships

On 30 October 2013, the Permanent Representatives Committee (COREPER I) agreed on a compromise text for a Council decision supporting the ratification of the 2009 Hong Kong International Convention for the Safe and Environmentally Sound recycling of ships. According to the Council Decision, Member States shall take the necessary...

European Parliament adopts proposal for new Ship Recycling Regulation

The European Parliament (EP) adopted today at its plenary sitting in Strasbourg a legislative resolution on a new Ship Recycling Regulation by a large majority of the votes. The adopted text is the result of a compromise agreement reached last June in Trilogue between the Council under the Irish Presidency...

European Commission earmarks 1.6 billion Euros to support key TEN-T infrastructure projects

On Wednesday 16 October, the European Commission announced that 1.6 billion Euros of EU co-funding will be granted to trans-Euroepan transport network (TEN-T) projects. In total, 172 projects were selected by the Commission and funding will be made available for 83 projects from the 2012 Annual programme call (€247.20 million)...