Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2023/2917 on the verification activities, accreditation of verifiers and approval of monitoring plans by administering authorities pursuant to Regulation (EU) 2015/757

Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2023/2917 relating to the monitoring, reporting, and verification of greenhouse gas emissions from maritime transport and the accreditation of independent emission verifiers was published in the Official Journal (OJ) of the EU. The Delegated Regulation lays down provisions for the assessment of monitoring plans of shipping companies and the verification of emissions reports and aggregated emissions data at company level. It also specifies the methods of accreditation of verifiers by national accreditation bodies and rules on information exchange between shipping companies, verifiers, accreditation bodies, and responsible authorities. The regulation further sets out rules on the approval of monitoring plans and modifications thereto by responsible authorities.
In detail, the regulation requires companies to provide relevant documentation and information to the verifier before the verifier – in turn – performs the assessment of the monitoring plan which contains information on the method chosen to monitor and report CO2 by the shipowner. Such information includes details of the ship’s installations, risk assessment, and evidence of authorization to comply with obligations under relevant regulations. The regulation further stipulates the criteria verifiers shall take into account and the process they shall follow in performing the assessment. Finally, it requires the verification process to be carried out by competent personnel and verifiers to establish internal processes to ensure high-quality verification activities. In this context, the regulation also sets out criteria for determining the competence, independence, and impartiality of verifiers, with a focus on promoting consistency and comparability of monitored data over time. In case companies modify their monitoring plans, they are required to submit these plans to the administering authority responsible for those plans; accordingly, the regulation also sets out the approval process for such modifications.
Furthermore, the regulation includes provisions for the verification of emissions reports and partial emissions reports by verifiers. It thereby specifies the process to be followed and the criteria to be taken into account when verifying these reports. It also addresses the steps to be taken, if necessary information is missing to perform the verification. Finally, it requires verifiers to maintain internal verification documentation and records to demonstrate compliance with the regulation, and to safeguard the confidentiality of information obtained during the verification process.
Lastly, the regulation stipulates the accreditation process verifiers should undergo to be accredited for performing above noted assessments and the requirements of the accreditation bodies. This includes the information to be provided by „prospective“ verifiers, the assessment procedure itself including on-site inspections by the accreditation body, and the criteria to take into account in a final decision. Moreover, the regulation mandates an annual review of such accreditation.