Cyprus, Greece, Malta and Italy align on shipping carbon rules

Cyprus, Greece, Malta and Italy have agreed to coordinate their positions on both EU’s existing and IMO’s planned regulations to cut shipping emissions.

IMAGE: Aerial view of Mikrolimano and Zea Marina in Piraeus, Greece. Getty Images

The four EU countries specifically discussed the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) and the IMO’s Net-Zero Framework (NZF) during a ministerial meeting in Limassol, Cyprus, calling for “realistic, globally applicable and cost effective” regulations.

They agreed to work together in upcoming EU and IMO negotiations, while seeking the “widest possible consensus” on measures that support shipping’s green fuel transition while keeping the sector competitive.

Shipping regulations should reflect the practical needs of the global shipping sector and be developed in consultation with the industry, according to a joint declaration adopted after the meeting.

They called on the IMO to develop globally applicable measures that maintain a level playing field for international shipping.

All four countries voted in favour of approving the IMO’s Net-Zero Framework for circulation at the MEPC 83 in April 2025.

In October 2025, Greece and Cyprus abstained from voting to delay the adoption of the NZF by adjourning the MEPC ES.2 meeting by one year. Italy and Malta voted against the delay.

At EU level, the four countries agreed to work with the European Commission and other member states in upcoming discussions around the EU ETS.

The meeting brought together Cyprus Shipping Deputy Minister Marina Hadjimanolis, Greek Maritime Affairs and Insular Policy Minister Vasilis Kikilias and Malta's Sustainable Mobility Minister Chris Bonett. Italian Deputy Infrastructure and Transport Minister Edoardo Rixi joined remotely.

By Konica Bhatt

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