Ahead of the interinstitutional negotiations on the Integrated Water Management Directive proposal, European Seaports Organisation (ESPO) and FEPORT adopted a position paper calling on the co-legislators to consider the following recommendations.
- A balanced approach to pollution control for the entirety of the river basin is essential. The unique challenges faced by ports, such as the relocation of existing contamination through activities such as dredging and the management of drainage water, must be acknowledged.
- Operations addressing legacy pollutants should be excluded from the non-deterioration principle.
- Practical environmental quality standards for ubiquitous substances should be introduced, considering technological limits and natural remediation processes. Gaps in measurement techniques for reliable compliance assessments must be addressed.
- Transboundary cooperation must be strengthened by enhancing collaboration within International River Commissions to tackle upstream pollution sources. The current ‘shift of responsibility’ from original polluters to ports must be prevented, and source-based monitoring and remediation should be prioritised over end-of-pipe solutions.
- Mechanisms to reaffirm the ‘polluter pays principle’ must be established, to avoid such undue burdens on ports.
- Sustainable port growth should be supported by facilitating infrastructure development for the energy transition and TEN-T network expansion while meeting environmental goals.
The joint paper also called specific attention to the fact that dredging is essential for maintaining navigability and infrastructure development. Stricter EQS may complicate licensing procedures, hindering these activities. The proposed EQS for tributyltin (TBT), forms an example in this respect.
The joint paper can be accessed here.
