PN says industry, not government, drove EU ETS rethink
Opposition argues Malta Maritime Forum, Freeport and MEPs helped secure Commission proposal to ease impact on maritime transshipment
The Nationalist Party on Monday said government cannot take the credit for the European Union’s ETS proposals as it was industry stakeholders and MEPs that drove the change.
While acknowledging the European Commission’s proposal to address the negative effects of the ETS on maritime transshipment is a “step in the right direction”, the PN said this “positive news” was largely thanks to input from the Malta Maritime Forum, the Malta Freeport and other industry stakeholders.
They provided the data and analysis demonstrating how the ETS was creating a serious competitive disadvantage for Malta, the PN said.
“It is ironic that two days ago, the same Labour Government Ministers who voted in favour of introducing the EU ETS without first ensuring adequate protection for island states such as Malta attempted to take credit for an outcome achieved solely thanks to the work and evidence presented by the sector itself,” the PN said in a statement.
The party reiterated that while it supports European environmental targets, “these should never be implemented in a way that penalises island states which depend almost entirely on maritime transport for connectivity, supplies and economic competitiveness.”
Last week, the European Commission proposed revisions to the EU’s Emissions Trading System (ETS) that would ease costs for cargo transhipped through Malta and other EU ports.
The proposal, however, stops short of helping most Maltese businesses and consumers, who would continue paying the levy in full.
The PN said work must continue to ensure that these proposals are approved through the European legislative process and that “no European policy ever again places island states at a disadvantage simply because of their geography.”