A number of shipping industry organisations directed a call in a joint statement published on Wednesday 1 March to the European institutions and EU member states for a new shipping strategy covering the period from 2019 to 2028.
The signatories of the statement – CLIA Europe, EBA, ECASBA, ECSA, EMPA, ETA, ETF, EuDA, Interferry and WSC – say that a new shipping strategy is needed for the next decade, beyond 2018. They argue that absolute priority must be given to fundamental overhaul of the reporting formalities directive which applies to vessels entering and leaving ports (Directive 2010/65) and a “true European single window environment for maritime carriers” put in place, fully ensuring the “reporting once” principle and cutting red tape.
The Commission would seem to be on the same wavelength as the maritime transport sector in terms of revising the directive. Henrik Hololei, Director General at the Commission’s DG Mobility and Transport, clearly came out in favour of a “single window”. That said, no strategy is on the horizon for the time being, according to a European source.
More generally, the sector organisations which signed the statement call for shipping to be put on an equal footing with land-based transport modes, which already benefit from a single market. They view the desire of the Maltese Presidency of the Council of the EU to adopt a ministerial declaration on maritime transport policy as a good sign and a welcome first step. They hope subsequent presidencies will continue on the same path. (Original version in French by Pascal Hansens)