Council and European Parliament agree to amend directive rules on mandatory marine fuel standards in the EU to reduce high sulfur content emissions from shipping

Kendall Sinclair

BRUSSELS , May 23, 2012 (press release) – The Committee of Permanent Representatives endorsed today the compromise proposal agreed between the Council and the European Parliament regarding the directive amending directive 1999/32/EC as regards the sulphur content of marine fuels

Emissions from shipping due to the combustion of marine fuels with a high sulphur content contribute to air pollution in the form of sulphur dioxide and particulate matter, which harm human health and contribute to acidification. The directive aims therefore to reduce these emissions considerably and to provide a high level of protection for human health and the environment by rendering the most recent International Maritime Organisation (IMO) rules on marine fuel standards mandatory in the EU, thereby amending Directive 1999/32/EC.

The text as it stands now was negotiated in informal "trilogue" meetings between the Council - represented by the Danish presidency - the European Parliament and the European Commission.

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