Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)
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To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government if he will report on the recent passing of European Parliament legislation on reducing the sulphur levels in shipping fuels; if it will have any impact on the Irish shipping sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39228/12]

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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In July 2011 the European Commission published a proposal to revise Directive 1999/32/EC (the ‘sulphur content of liquid fuels directive’) that regulates the maximum level of sulphur permitted for fuels used in the shipping sector. Following negotiations between Member States and the European Commission, the proposal was adopted by the European Parliament on 11 September 2012. All EU Member States will be required to transpose the new Directive into national law.

The aim of the new Directive is to reduce air pollution from the shipping sector thereby protecting human health and the environment. This will be achieved through a lower sulphur content limit for marine fuel in order to reduce sulphur oxide emissions. Ireland supported the aim of the new Directive throughout the negotiation process and welcomes its adoption by the European Parliament.

The new Directive, for the most part, aligns EU legislation with the International Maritime Organisation’s (IMO) International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships(known as the MARPOL Convention). Ireland is party to MARPOL and has already implemented most of the provisions of the new Directive through regulations previously given effect by the Minister for Transport,the Sea Pollution (Prevention of Air Pollution from Ships) Regulations 2010).

The difference between MARPOL and the new Directive is the timing of the introduction of the new lower 0.5% sulphur content limit in marine fuel. Under MARPOL, and current national legislation giving effect to MARPOL, the 0.5% maximum sulphur content limit will apply in 2020 or in 2025, depending on an IMO review to be completed in 2018. The new Directive introduces the 0.5% sulphur content limit for marine fuel in 2020 regardless of the outcome of the 2018 IMO review.

The provisions of the new Directive apply equally to shipping operators in all EU Member States. The new Directive also provides for a degree of greater clarity in that 2020 is now confirmed as the deadline by which the shipping sector must prepare for the switchover to lower sulphur fuel.