Brussels, May 29th, 2026
As discussions on the ETS revision intensify ahead of the Commission proposal expected in July 2026, the debate increasingly reflects the need to reconcile climate ambition, competitiveness and economic resilience. In this context, FEPORT takes note of the High-Level Roundtable organised by the European Commission on 12 May, which brought together part of the institutional representatives and industry stakeholders to exchange views on the future evolution of the ETS.
Given the strategic role of ports and terminal operators in Europe’s trade, connectivity, resilience and decarbonisation efforts, FEPORT underlines the importance of ensuring that the operational and investment realities of the port sector continue to be adequately reflected throughout the ongoing discussions.
The next ETS revision will be a defining moment for Europe’s maritime policy and should meet the expectations of all sectors involved, including ports and terminal operators, which are at the frontline of Europe’s trade, logistics and decarbonisation efforts.
FEPORT fully supports the objective of reducing greenhouse gas emissions. European ports and terminal operators are already investing significantly in decarbonisation, electrification, digitalisation and energy efficiency, including through the deployment of onshore power supply (OPS) and other clean technologies.
At the same time, the effectiveness of climate policy must also be assessed against its operational and economic consequences. The ETS revision therefore offers an opportunity not only to strengthen decarbonisation efforts, but also to evaluate the broader impacts of the system on Europe’s transport and logistics ecosystem.
Ports are not simply transit points. They are strategic economic platforms supporting trade, connectivity, energy supply and Europe’s broader resilience. A reduction in traffic volumes or the diversion of activities towards neighbouring non-EU hubs weakens both the competitiveness of individual ports and the resilience of European logistics chains.
In the framework of the upcoming review, FEPORT therefore recommends that a clear earmarking of part of ETS revenues be explicitly mentioned to support the decarbonisation and electrification of ports. Such investments are essential not only to safeguard the competitiveness of EU ports facing competition from third-country hubs operating under less stringent climate legislation, but also to contribute to the EU’s climate and environmental objectives.
The transition towards climate neutrality requires massive investments across the maritime and port sectors. In this regard, ETS revenues should play a stronger role in supporting not only shipping decarbonisation but also port electrification, energy infrastructure and the deployment of clean technologies throughout the logistics chain. FEPORT also calls for consistency when it comes to all initiatives aimed at scaling up the energy transition of EU ports. It must be ensured that the Electrification Action Plan also accelerates the electrification of ports, via streamlined permit-granting procedures, the possibility to store electricity and to grant priority access to the grid.
“For Europe’s ports and terminals, one issue deserves particular attention: transhipment relocation as it does not only impact business activity and employment in ports, but can also affect connectivity of the EU and the competitiveness of its industry in and beyond ports,” says FEPORT Secretary General Lamia Kerdjoudj.
“EU policy should not continue to ignore that carbon leakage will also harm the competitiveness and resilience of EU ports in a sustainable manner. The recent and future investments in terminal capacities in neighbouring ports outside the EU (which are not subject to ETS for Maritime) are not a coincidence but serious competitive pressure on EU ports. We need to act swiftly and the revision of ETS offers an opportunity to include also solutions to the problem of carbon leakage affecting EU ports,” underlines FEPORT Secretary General.
“The recently published EU Ports Strategy promotes the competitiveness and resilience of EU ports and recognizes that there is an issue with ETS. The revision should at least aim to channel ETS revenues to ports as well, while other relevant initiatives should also support the energy transition in ports,” concludes Lamia Kerdjoudj.
For more information, please contact:
Ms. Lamia Kerdjoudj, Secretary General of FEPORT
