On 27 January, the Transport and Tourism (TRAN) Committee of the European Parliament held an exchange of views with the Cypriot Presidency of the Council, represented by the Minister of Transport, Mr Alexis Vafeades, and the Deputy Minister of Shipping, Ms Marina Hadjimanolis, on the Presidency’s priorities in the field of transport and maritime policy.
Minister Vafeades outlined the Presidency’s intention to advance work on several key transport files, while also highlighting the scale of investment needs across the EU transport system. He stressed the importance of mobilising private investment alongside public funding to support Europe’s infrastructure objectives, a point of particular relevance for ports and terminals facing growing demands linked to decarbonisation, digitalisation and capacity upgrades.
From a maritime perspective, Deputy Minister Hadjimanolis placed strong emphasis on the forthcoming EU Ports Strategy, underlining the strategic importance of the maritime and port sectors for the European economy and for strengthening Europe’s strategic autonomy. She also addressed the EU’s role within the International Maritime Organization (IMO), stressing that a coherent and coordinated EU position is essential to maintain credibility and influence at global level, notably in the context of ongoing discussions on maritime decarbonisation.
Members of the European Parliament welcomed the exchange and raised questions on a range of transport-related files, including intermodality and the future of the Combined Transport Directive. Several MEPs also underlined the need to ensure that future regulatory initiatives strike the right balance between environmental ambition and competitiveness, while avoiding unnecessary administrative burden for operators.
For the port and terminal community, the discussion confirmed the central role that ports are expected to play in delivering EU transport, climate and industrial objectives. It also highlighted the importance of the upcoming EU Ports Strategy in providing a coherent framework that supports investment, operational efficiency and Europe’s position in global maritime and logistics networks.
