In a statement sent to Lusa, André Franqueira Rodrigues and Sérgio Gonçalves, natives of the Azores and Madeira respectively, announced they have submitted a question to the European Commission expressing concern about the “misapplication” of the Emissions Trading System (ETS) for the Outermost Regions (ORs).
The Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) remind that the ETS, which requires operators to purchase permits to emit greenhouse gases, includes a derogation for the ORs, exempting payment for these regions, which include the Azores and Madeira.
However, they warn that there have been reports of operators being forced to pay for permits when stopping on mainland Portuguese territory, “even when the final destination is an OR”.
MEP André Franqueira Rodrigues, quoted in the statement, points out that the Azores and Madeira “rely almost exclusively” on maritime transport to meet supply needs and that island residents “face increased costs for most products”.
“The derogation exists to protect them from these costs and should therefore be applied to all trips that have an OR as their final destination, regardless of intermediate stops,” he argues.
André Franqueira Rodrigues also admits the possibility of including an amendment to protect the ORs in the ETS review process, set to begin in 2026.
“If the Commission’s response confirms this interpretation, we will advocate a legislative amendment to properly protect the ORs,” added the MEP.
According to the Portuguese Environment Agency’s website, the ETS is a “mechanism for regulating greenhouse gas emissions in activities” responsible for around 45% of emissions in the European Union, such as “fuel combustion, mineral oil refining, metallurgy, clinker, lime and glass production, ceramics, pulp and paper, chemicals, and aviation”.
