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Three to four percent of EU-wide emissions are emitted by ships either arriving or departing from European ports. In the future, this share is likely to increase if nothing is done to decarbonize shipping. With the FuelEU Maritime Regulation, the EU Commission now wants to change this, but the proposal is not as ambitious as it needs to be. This fits in with all the global efforts to date for climate-friendly shipping, as Lukas Scheid reports.
Time and again, those responsible had postponed the official presentation of the “Global Gateway” infrastructure initiative, but now the time had come. The head of the Commission was self-confident: the program is “definitely” capable of competing with China’s Belt and Road Initiative, said Ursula von der Leyen – and gave a tip or two in the direction of the New Silk Road. Amelie Richter summarized what Brussels wants to do better than China with “Global Gateway”, in which points the Chinese have an advantage and how politics and industry reacted to the plans.
Foreign Minister-designate Annalena Baerbock also wants to speak clearly to the People’s Republic in the future. In doing so, she said, the new German government will coordinate more closely with its partners in the EU than in the past. Baerbock also announced her intention to use German embassies for climate policy. You can read more about the Green politician’s plans in the news.
Sarah Schaefer
Feature
“Global Gateway”: How Brussels wants to compete with China’s Silk Road
What always resonated around “Global Gateway”, but was rarely openly expressed, now found a clear answer at the official presentation of the infrastructure initiative of the EU Commission: “Yes, definitely. We are in a position to do so,” EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen answered the question of whether the program could compete with China’s “Belt and Road” initiative. Various countries have had their experiences with Chinese investments, von der Leyen said. “They need better and different offers.” The EU offer involves the private sector, which does not exist in the People’s Republic. “So it is a real alternative,” the Commission chief stressed.
Brussels had been working on the competing Silk Road for a long time; the publication date was postponed several times. However, the result now reads impressively and has met with much approval from politics and business. As with many EU initiatives, it remains to be seen how the implementation will progress in concrete terms. The envisaged program is ambitious: Up to €300 billion are to be mobilized by 2027. To this end, the EU Commission is bringing on board not only the member states but also the private sector as well as the European Investment Bank and other European financial institutions, including, for example, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development.
The most important questions about “Global Gateway” at a glance:
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