Upgrading EU seaports

The new guidelines and legal changes that the EC is proposing should help port operators upgrade their services and facilities and provide them with more financial autonomy. They also aim to save the European economy up to €10bn by 2030 and develop new short sea links.

Mr Kallas explains that some 74% of goods leaving or entering Europe do so by sea but one fifth of the traffic passes through just three ports – Rotterdam, Hamburg and Antwerp. The imbalance between port performance results in congestion and extra costs for shippers, transport operators and consumers.

He said: “Our seaports are vital gateways, linking our transport corridors to the rest of the world. We already have some of the finest port facilities in the world. We need to keep them. But we are facing major challenges in terms of congestion, traffic growth and investment. More of our ports need to reach these high standards. The proposals today will bring Europe’s port services into the 21st century, help attract investment and create jobs where they are most needed.”

The Commission’s port review focuses on these 319 ports as a basis for a highly functioning European ports network managing 96% of goods and 93% of passengers which transit through the EU ports.

It comprises a communication that reviews the European port policy and announces eight Commission actions and a focused legislative proposal to the European Parliament and to the Council in order to introduce the new legal provisions required to deliver the policy and objectives.

The proposal must be approved by the European Parliament and EU member states’ ministers before being adopted under the normal legislative procedure.

Read the exclusive article featured in the the PS newsflash by Siim Kallas, European Commissioner for mobility and transport