In her State of the Union address to the European Parliament on 10 September, Commission President Ursula von der Leyen confirmed that the European Grids Package will be presented by the end of 2025. The initiative, which FEPORT has already contributed to through its response to the Call for Evidence earlier this summer, is expected to target eight major electricity bottlenecks across Europe, reinforce cross-border interconnections, and prepare the ground for new “energy highways” to stabilise prices and strengthen the single market for energy.
Ms Von der Leyen framed the package as central to Europe’s long-term energy security and competitiveness, stressing that decarbonisation cannot succeed without a modern and resilient grid. She linked the measures to broader goals of the Green Deal Industrial Plan, noting that reliable energy supply is indispensable for industry, transport, and logistics.
Beyond energy, the President also underlined the Commission’s commitment to simplification and competitiveness. She announced that further initiatives are in preparation to reduce administrative burdens for businesses, including in sectors heavily affected by regulation such as transport. These will complement the simplification packages already adopted since 2024, which the Commission estimates have reduced compliance costs for companies by billions of euros.
For the port and terminal sector, the announcements are highly relevant. Stable and sufficient grid capacity is indispensable for the electrification of terminals, the deployment of shore-side electricity (OPS), and the development of clean fuels infrastructure. At the same time, simplified and predictable procedures will be essential to unlock timely investments in decarbonisation and digitalisation projects.
FEPORT therefore welcomes the Commission’s recognition of grids and competitiveness as strategic priorities. The forthcoming package will be an important test of whether Europe can provide the stable investment framework and simplified procedures needed for ports and terminals to accelerate the twin transition and contribute fully to Europe’s industrial resilience.
