EU – Implementation Requirements for the Monitoring, Reporting and Verification (MRV) of CO2 Emissions from Vessels 10 July 2015 No.15-008 Download PDF (272KB) Members’ attention is drawn to new EU Regulation 2015/757, which came into force on 1 July 2015 [1] . The Regulation includes maritime CO2 emissions in the European Union’s commitment to reducing emissions generally. The Regulation follows the European Parliament’s Resolution of 5th February 2014, which called upon the Commission and Member States to set a binding target of reducing domestic greenhouse gas emissions by at least 40% compared with levels observed in 1990. Maritime transport has an impact on the global climate and on air quality, as a result of carbon dioxide and other emissions. CO2 emissions from international shipping, related to the European Union alone, increased by 48% between 1990 and 2007. However, as yet international maritime shipping remains the only means of transportation which has not been included in Community proposals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. In light of the developing scientific understanding of the impact of maritime transport on the global climate, it has been decided that this should be assessed regularly and that the European Commission should consider implementing policies and measures to reduce both CO2 emissions and other kinds of emissions from vessels in future. According to data provided by the IMO, the energy consumption and emissions of ships could be reduced by up to 75% by applying operational measures and implementing technologies which already exist. It is believed that the best option for reducing CO2 emissions from shipping is to set up a system for monitoring, reporting and verification (MRV) of CO2 emissions based on the fuel consumption of ships. The MRV system is set out in the form of a Regulation due to the complex and highly technical nature of the provisions introduced, the need for uniform rules applicable throughout the European Union, and