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Maritime

Ports

More than 1 200 merchant ports dot some 100 000 km of European coasts. They are key points of modal transfer and are of vital interest to handle 90% of Europe's international trade and 40% of the intra-Community trade. They are a key to cohesion in Europe, through the development of passenger and ferry services. Ports are a direct and in-direct source of more than half a million jobs, and ensure dynamism and development of whole regions including most peripheral ones, in line with the Lisbon strategy.

The Commission's action looks after the sustainable development of all ports in Europe, promoting industrial efficiency, reducing environmental impact and looking after working conditions and smooth integration of ports in the overall transport chain. The EU rules provide a framework for action that helps all actors to concentrate the efforts so that Europe's ports can face the challenges of tomorrow, attract new investment and fully contribute to co-modal development. The Commission's approach is based on close cooperation with all public and private stakeholders to implement adequate answers to those challenges and ensure the most harmonious development of EU ports.

Competition between and within ports is increasing for a number of reasons, highlighting factors that distort trade flows between Member States:

liberalisation of the internal market;
technological changes (application of information technology, standardisation of loading units);
development of the trans-European network, which provides users and operators with greater choice in an intermodal environment.
A Community framework is needed to ensure the principle of free and fair competition.

Related documents

Legislation

Communication from the Commission on European Ports Policy [COM(2007)616]

Summary Impact Assessment [SEC(2007)1340]

Full Impact Assessment [SEC(2007)1339]

Summaries of legislation

Port infrastructure: Green Paper

Quality services in sea ports

Facilities for ship-generated waste and cargo residues

Enhancing port security

LeaderSHIP 2015

The implementation of the Birds and Habitat Directives in estuaries and coastal zones with particular attention to port development and dredging

Guidelines pdf - 4 MB [4 MB]

Commission working document [SEC(2011)0319] pdf - 55 KB [55 KB]

Consultation

Port Policy Consultation 2006-2007 (Brochure) pdf - 4 MB [4 MB]

Studies

Port Competitiveness Pacakge 2013 - TASKS SPECIFICATIONS for an Impact Assessment Study (2011) pdf - 68 KB [68 KB]

Sea ports: Public financing and charging practices of seaports in the EU (2006)

Economic Evaluation on the Commission proposal for a Directive on market access to port services (2005)

Sea ports: Economic Assistance - Liner Shipping (2005)

Events

Conference on the European Ports Policy Review: unlocking the growth potential . Brussels, 25-26 September 2012

Press room

Speech of VP Kallas "Europe's ports face wind of change" - Conference on European Ports Policy, Brussels, 25 September 2012

Speech of VP Kallas "Steering a course for the future: Europe's ports in the 21st century", 11 May 2012

Memo "Importance of ports for economic recovery and jobs", 11 May 2012

European Commission to bring forward new package of measures for ports in 2013 [IP/11/1009]

Memo: Visit of VP Siim Kallas to the Port of Rotterdam (8/09/2011) pdf - 17 KB [17 KB]

Participation of Vice-president Jacques Barrot in the ESPO 2007 conference (European Sea Port Organisation), Algeciras [SPEECH/07/356, 01/06/2007]

IP/07/1550: Freight transport in Europe: new Commission initiatives aimed at achieving greater efficiency and sustainability, the "communiqué de presse chapeau" which includes the Ports Policy Communication)