The European Sea Ports Organisation (ESPO) is calling for a harmonised implementation of customs procedures across EU ports after it identified problems arising from uneven legislation.
ESPO’s Intermodal and Logistics Committee has found that varied implementation of customs legislation, a responsibility of the various Member States, has turned EU ports’ customs controls into a competitive factor. Members of ESPO have asked the European Commission to ensure that customs legislation does not harm the position of EU transhipment ports in the Mediterranean and has called for a level playing field with North African ports.
Port authorities also reaffirmed the need for further simplification of intra-EU maritime transport and short sea shipping in general. In this context, much has been expected from the Blue Belt pilot project which aims to reduce the administrative burden on short sea shipping. However, local customs authorities have proved unenthusiatic.
Despite initial weak results, ESPO wishes the project to be prolonged and extended to all ships involved in intra-EU trade, benefiting all ports across Europe.
The review of the current EU Ports Policy framework will also bring additional measures to support the reduction of administrative burdens in ports.
