On 30 September, MEP Matteo Ricci, Vice-Chair of the European Parliament’s Committee on Transport and Tourism, hosted an event in cooperation with FEPORT on The EU Ports Strategy: A route to global leadership for Europe’s hub ports by 2035.
The discussion brought together representatives of the European Commission’s DG CLIMA, DG HOME and DG ENV, the European Economic and Social Committee, the European Transport Workers’ Federation, FEPORT members, and other guests.
Investment, security, the fight against drugs, competition with non-EU ports, financing and blending, and permitting were among the themes that were discussed.
With DG ENV participating in the discussion, attention also turned to environmental assessments and the need for faster, more coordinated permitting. Dual-use upgrades for military mobility require early involvement of operators and public funding for requirements that go beyond commercial needs.
Mr Roget Alemany’s contribution on behalf of the European Economic and Social Committee referred to port jobs, fair access to climate funding and competition with non-EU ports.
The exchanges with DG CLIMA placed the competitiveness of EU ports alongside the decarbonisation of maritime transport. FEPORT raised the risk of transhipment moving to neighbouring non-EU hubs if shipping lines can avoid ETS costs by changing routes. It reiterated that the proposed cargo-based measure should cover outbound as well as inbound voyages. Maritime ETS revenues should also help ports provide onshore power supply and electrify terminal operations.
Security brought DG HOME’s work on the European Ports Alliance into focus. FEPORT supports its public-private approach to tackling organised crime and is contributing the experience of terminal operators to the planned EU framework on background checks for port workers. Effective checks need clear responsibilities and workable arrangements for contractors and temporary staff, together with safeguards for personal data.
The participation of the ETF highlighted the workforce dimension: investment in equipment and infrastructure must be accompanied by training, safe working practices and social dialogue as port jobs change.
After listening to MEP Sérgio Gonçalves who delivered the closing remarks, FEPORT is convinced that, as Rapporteur for Parliament’s report on the EU Ports Strategy, he will certainly contribute to rightly depicting the strengths and ambitions of EU public and private port stakeholders.
