Bloomberg revealed that European countries have agreed to pay service fees to both Iran and Oman for the passage of commercial ships through the Strait of Hormuz, in a remarkable political shift imposed by the repercussions of the recent military confrontation between the United States and Israel on the one hand, and Iran on the other.
The agency said the Europeans were looking for a legal way out that would allow them to ensure the flow of energy supplies without violating international maritime law, by classifying the expected payments as "service charges" that include pollution control, maritime guidance, safety and navigation insurance, rather than as internationally prohibited "traffic taxes."
According to the agency, the Sultanate of Oman has informed Western allies that a return to the previous situation before the war is impossible, and that it is studying the model of the Strait of Malacca in Asia as a joint regulatory mechanism for the management of the sea lane to ensure international acceptance and reflect the new security reality in the region.
Gulf states reject only in public
European powers treat the tariffs as an "inevitable reality" to ensure the continued flow of energy, while the United States officially rejects the idea as a violation of freedom of navigation that could encourage other countries to take similar steps.
The Gulf states maintain their public dismissive stance, although some of their officials share the Europeans' conviction that tariffs have become a fait accompli, while Iran insists that tariffs be mandatory for all commercial vessels as part of new control and security arrangements in the strait.
The Bloomberg report did not include any leaks or public names of European countries that have agreed to pay service fees to Iran and Oman for ships to pass through the Strait of Hormuz, only to be described as "some of the leading European powers," given the political and legal sensitivity surrounding these secret deliberations.
Europe refuses to announce its positions for fear of clash with Trump
Research centers specializing in international disputes believe that the European secrecy is due to avoiding a clash with the Trump administration, which rejects any fees on navigation and considers them a violation of international law, which pushes European capitals to keep their positions undeclared.
The think tanks spoke of what they called legal concerns among European countries, based on the fact that international law prohibits the imposition of "traffic taxes" in international straits, and therefore any explicit European declaration of payment may be interpreted as an admission of breaking the law or acquiescing to the post-war reality.
Despite the absence of names, economic analysis indicates that the "leading powers" in question often include countries that are most dependent on energy from the Gulf and have huge commercial fleets, led by Germany for its heavy dependence on supply chains through Hormuz and Italy due to the dependence of its heavy industries on oil supplies, and France , which usually adopts a pragmatic approach to Middle East files to ensure its commercial interests.
Malacca as a model
The Sultanate of Oman seeks to apply the "Strait of Malacca and Singapore" model in the management of the Strait of Hormuz, which is a common maritime framework based on the collection of voluntary contributions in exchange for clear navigational services, away from any formula similar to "traffic taxes" prohibited by the international law of the sea, as this Asian model, adopted since 2008, is seen as a legal and political solution that allows the regulation of the sea lane without violating freedom of navigation.
The model is based on the fact that ships do not pay for the right of way, but for specific operational services such as combating marine pollution, maintenance of beacons and guiding buoys, rescue and emergency response operations, and maritime safety and security, with these contributions pooled through a voluntary fund involving beneficiary countries and shipping companies, such as the fund managed by Japan's Nippon Foundation in Malacca.
The model requires joint coordination between the countries bordering the corridor, which in the case of Hormuz means direct cooperation between Oman and Iran to manage and protect navigation.
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