EU proposes emissions rules for ships of 400 to 5,000 GT: MRV from 2029, ETS from 2031

On 17 July 2026, the European Commission proposed extending the EU ETS below the 5,000 GT threshold and expanding EU emissions monitoring to ships of 400 to 5,000 GT. The European Parliament and the Council must agree to the proposals, and their dates may change. Public feedback closes on 3 November 2026 at 23:59 Brussels time.

Monitoring from 2029. Under the draft amendment to the EU MRV Regulation, COM(2026) 620, oil tankers, chemical tankers, gas carriers, LNG carriers, ro-pax ships and passenger ships of 400 to 5,000 GT would monitor and report emissions from 2029. If the rules apply from 1 January 2029, companies would submit a verifier-assessed monitoring plan for each ship by 1 April 2029. Ships entering scope after that date would have two months from their first EU port call. For ships that fall under both regimes, the draft would merge paperwork into one monitoring plan and one report per ship for the EU ETS and FuelEU Maritime. FuelEU itself is not extended: it would still apply only to ships above 5,000 GT, so ships of 400 to 5,000 GT would face MRV and, except ro-pax and passenger ships, ETS duties, but no FuelEU obligations.

ETS from 2031. Under the draft ETS amendment, COM(2026) 616, oil tankers, chemical tankers, gas carriers, LNG carriers, general cargo ships and offshore vessels of 400 to 5,000 GT would enter the EU ETS on 1 January 2031, according to the proposal. The MRV has covered general cargo ships and offshore vessels in this size range since 2025. Ro-pax and passenger ships would remain outside the ETS. The Commission would report on their inclusion by 31 December 2031. The Commission says ships in this size range produce about 15% of emissions from ships within the ETS scope.

Operator steps. Operators can identify ships in the 400 to 5,000 GT band and organise fuel and port-call data by voyage for a 2029 monitoring plan. The proposal sets no allowance cost before 2031. Public feedback remains open until 3 November 2026, 23:59 Brussels time, through the Commission’s Have Your Say portal (EU Login or social media account required).

Background on today’s rules for ships of 5,000 GT and above: EU ETS shipping compliance guide on apeks.tech.

Sources: COM(2026) 616 final (https://ec.europa.eu/info/law/better-regulation/api/download/090166e530b8b34d) and Annexes (https://ec.europa.eu/info/law/better-regulation/api/download/090166e530b8b350); COM(2026) 620 final (https://ec.europa.eu/info/law/better-regulation/api/download/090166e530b8bba5); EUR-Lex: COM(2026) 616 (https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:52026PC0616) and COM(2026) 620 (https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:52026PC0620); European Commission Have Your Say, initiative 14549 (https://ec.europa.eu/info/law/better-regulation/have-your-say/initiatives/14549-EU-emissions-trading-system-for-maritime-aviation-and-stationary-installations-and-market-stability-reserve-review_en).

Reviewed by Apeks Marine Editorial Team.