FEPORT: Strategic approach needed for ports

That was the view from European policy makers and regulators gathered in Klaipeda for FEPORT’s recent General Assembly.

Attendees also commented on the adoption of the Ports Regulation (in February 2017) and the General Block Exemption Regulation (in May 2017).

“Both texts have mobilised our membership and organisation because it was crucial to avoid that those pieces of legislation have counterproductive effects on private port investments. It was also important to make sure that they are consistent to avoid confusion or legal uncertainty,” said Gunther Bonz, President of FEPORT.

“We are satisfied with the outcome and think that both above mentioned texts and the concession Directive, which applies to Greenfield port projects, form a consistent legal framework that will allow us to invest. It is essential that these three pieces of legislation are now implemented in the same way everywhere and that no extensive interpretation of provisions, for instance regarding the prolongation of existing concessions, is made.”

Commenting about the European port policy and its role, Mr Bonz said that an efficient port policy is a policy which offers instruments (soft and binding) to ports so as to enable them to compete locally and also with other global players.

FEPORT members also commented on the publication of the recent call for interest regarding the establishment of a “Port Forum” and the formation of an “expert group” to deal with port governance and the role of the different stakeholders within EU ports.