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Future of European Ports Policy
European Cruise Council Conference
Brussels, 14 September 2010
José Fernandez Garcia
Principal Administrator
European Commission
DG Mobility & Transport
Maritime Transport Policy: Ports & Inland Waterways
EUROPEAN
COMMISSION
07/04/2015
picture: courtesy of the Port of Hamburg
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Basis: Communication on a European
Ports Policy COM(2007) 616, 18.10.2007
A policy document, not a legislative proposal
Commission’s assessment of the current
situation
Guidance on the application to the port sector
of the Treaty rules on the fundamental
freedoms
Commission’s general objectives for ports
An action plan for the realisation of those
objectives
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Ports policy Action plan - Reminder (1/2)
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Need: Level Playing Field – clarity for investors
Action: State Aid Guidelines – Extension of Transparency
Directive to all ports (after State Aid Guidelines)
Need: Reconcile more capacity with respect of environment
Action: Guidelines on the application of environmental
legislation to port development
Need: Dialogue in ports
Action: European sectoral social dialogue committee for
ports (up to social partners)
Need: Simplification of procedures for Short Sea Shipping
Action: Proposal on the European Maritime Transport Space
without Barriers (21 January 2009)
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Ports policy Action plan - Introduction (2/2)
Need: Improvement of administrative treatment of
ships
Action: Policy document on the deployment of emaritime
Need: Enhancement of hinterland connections of ports
Action: Evaluation of ports’ hinterland connection
status and needs on the occasion of the review of the
TEN-T
Need: Efficiency of transport chains and their hubs
such as ports
Action: Elaboration of performance as well as socioeconomic port indicators
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Main ports policy actions (1/3) –
State aid Guidelines
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Commitment by the Commission to adopt Guidelines
on State aid to ports
Objective: ensuring legal security both for public and
private investors in port facilities
Debate by the economic and legal doctrine on the
nature of public investments in infrastructure, also
within the Commission
Transfer of competences on State Aid to transport to
DG Competition – continued cooperation among
Commission services
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Main ports policy actions (2/3) –
Environmental Guidelines
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Requested by port authorities and terminal operators
Commission working group with sectoral experts: port
authorities, terminal operators, EuDA, environmental
NGOs, academics, Member States
Guidelines cover Birds Directive, Habitats Directive
(regulates “Natura 2000” areas) and Water
Framework Directive, not waste, noise nor emissions
3-tiered structure: Communication, Guidelines,
Technical Support Document
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Main ports policy actions (3/3) –
Social Dialogue
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Encouragement by the Commission to social partners
to engage in a formal social dialogue through a Social
Dialogue Committee
Process is in the hands of social partners
2 x 2 social partners: employers (FEPORT/ESPO),
employees (ETF/IDC)
Representativity in 2 x 27 committee an important
issue – about to be resolved among social partners
Official request to Commission by common letter crutiny of legitimacy by DG Employment
Agenda set by social partners – consensus on issues
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Further ongoing and future actions related to
ports
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PPRISM study on socio-economic port indicators (Jan
2010 - Dec 2011)
Future study on port labour (2011)
E-maritime initiative (Communication & Framework
Directive; 2010/2011)
New White Paper for Transport (end 2010)
TEN-T revision process (2011)
Review of SSS / MoS policy
Review of Marco Polo Programme – possible MP III
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Thank you for your attention!
José Fernandez Garcia
European Commission
Directorate-General for Mobility and Transport
Maritime Transport Policy: Ports and Inland Waterways
Office: DM 28 03/17
B-1049 Brussels
Tel. +32 2 296.92.59
Fax +32 2 298.75.58
Jose.Fernandez-Garcia@ec.europa.eu
http://ec.europa.eu/transport/index_en.html
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