ESPO
The European Union simply cannot function without its seaports. Almost all of the Community’s external trade and almost half of its internal trade enters or leaves through the more than 1200 seaports existing in the 22 maritime Member States of the EU.
Without seaports, the European Union would not exist as an economic world power. Without seaports, there would be no internal market. ESPO ensures that seaports have a clear voice in the European Union.
ESPO key objectives are:
To ensure that the economic importance of European ports is recognised in the EU and its Member States and that the sector is consulted substantively on any measure likely to affect it;
To promote free and fair competition in the port sector;
To ensure that European ports play their full part in delivering economic efficiency;
To promote the highest possible safety standards in European ports;
To encourage ports to be proactive in protecting the environment.
