Agreement reached on EU Ports Regulation text

The port regulation will however only be adopted after formal approval by both the Parliament and the Council following their respective procedures, which is expected to take place in the autumn.

FEPORT welcomed the compromise text which it said acknowledges the existence of a diversity of port models, the existence of competition in the cargo handling industry and will include social provisions that have been supported both by FEPORT and ETF.

Lamia Kerdjoudj-Belkaid, secretary general, FEPORT, said: “Private investors need to have visibility and legal stability to be able to engage. It is therefore essential that the port sector is supported by a European sustainable and business friendly port and competition policy.”

Isabelle Ryckbost, secretary general of ESPO, also welcomed the news, and said that ESPO thinks that the final compromise is, in many ways, a significant improvement on the original Commission proposal of May 2013.

In particular the flexible framework for the organisation of port services respecting the diversity of ports in Europe and more financial transparency when ports receive public funding.

But she did also throw caution to the wind.

“We must hope however that Member States will use this opportunity to review the way they consider ports and to realise that giving port authorities the power to negotiate and to develop their own charging policy is the best way to enhance the competitiveness of European ports and the level playing field,” she said.

She also expressed disappointment that national governments have not shown more ambition in moving towards a clear framework for port authorities to set their own charges and develop their own financial strategy.