Ireland took over the Presidency of the Council of the European Union on 1 July 2026, with a programme focused on competitiveness, European values and security. Transport infrastructure is presented as essential to the functioning of the Single Market and to strengthening Europe’s economic resilience.
The Presidency intends to advance negotiations on the Connecting Europe Facility within the EU’s next long-term budget for 2028–2034. Its programme describes CEF investment as critical to completing the rail, maritime and inland waterway components of the Trans-European Transport Network. It also recognises the contribution of the maritime sector to European competitiveness and the role of ports in supporting energy security.
FEPORT welcomes this recognition of ports as strategic assets for Europe. Port terminals are increasingly expected to maintain efficient cargo flows while supporting the energy transition, supply-chain resilience and new security requirements. Delivering on these objectives, however, will require sufficient funding and the mobilisation of private investment.
The next EU budget should therefore support projects involving grid connections, onshore power supply, alternative-energy infrastructure, rail links and dual-use capacity. Public funding should help de-risk private investment, particularly where projects serve wider European policy objectives and cannot be financed by terminal operators alone.
FEPORT also supports the Presidency’s commitment to transport simplification. This should translate into faster permitting procedures, better coordination between transport and energy authorities and fewer overlapping reporting requirements. Close consultation with the sector will be essential to ensure that the measures negotiated remain workable and support the competitiveness of Europe’s ports.
