FEPORT, representing European private port companies and terminals, strongly supports the proposed Regulation on foreign subsidies. The organization views this regulation as crucial for ensuring a level playing field within the EU’s internal market, addressing distortions caused by foreign subsidies that undermine fair competition and influence investment decisions. FEPORT notes that a legislative gap currently exists, allowing foreign subsidies to create market imbalances that EU competition, trade, and public procurement rules cannot effectively counter. They advocate for consistent implementation of EU competition rules and state aid controls to maintain the global competitiveness of European companies.
The document emphasizes the strategic importance of ports as essential components of the waterborne sector and critical entry points to the EU. These assets hold geopolitical significance for emergency and military operations, and they play a vital role in supplying goods and services to European consumers and industries. Therefore, FEPORT urges that ports be explicitly recognized as strategic assets within the scope of the new regulation to protect them from potential threats posed by foreign subsidies.
Furthermore, FEPORT highlights the significant challenges faced by Europe’s waterborne sector, including the impacts of COVID-19, the energy transition, and competitive distortions from unfair foreign subsidies. They stress the necessity of including maritime transport within the regulation’s scope to prevent legal loopholes. Given the fundamental changes in the maritime transport market since 1986, particularly the vertical integration of seaport terminals by shipping companies, FEPORT recommends anticipating scenarios where EU shipping companies might sell terminal assets to subsidized third-country entities. They also insist on ensuring that both EU and non-EU maritime companies do not receive subsidies that distort competition within the EU market.
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