Brussels, 20/10/2005 (Agence Europe) - The European Sea Ports Organisation (ESPO) has drafted its initial position with a view to presenting the Green Paper on the future EU maritime policy, foreseen for the first half of 2006. ESPO is enthusiastic about this initiative of President Barroso and Fisheries and Maritime Affairs Commissioner Joe Borg and trusts that the Green Paper will serve as a framework for a consistent policy to promote the development of maritime ports and take the sector's diversity and complexity into account. The EU's future maritime policy should, according to ESPO, focus on three points: - facilitating the development of adequate port capacities, maritime access and connections with the hinterland, to allow ports to play their role as an entrance way for internal and external trade; - promoting the provision of competitive and effective port services in ports throughout the transport chain; - and making actors more responsible when it comes to the environment, safety and security. The ESPO fears the Commission will choose an interventionist policy, making new legislative proposals, as suggested by the Committee of the Regions in an own-initiative opinion of 12 August 2005. It believes, however, that it should strengthen application of the current legislation and improve coordination between existing policies mainly those relating to the environment and transport, by linking the drafting of the Green Paper to the revision of the White Paper on EU transport policy. ESPO fears “artificial” intervention that will go against market regulation and encourages the Commission to use more non-legislative instruments (communication, codes of conduct). ESPO's position will soon be available at the following address: http://www.espo.be/policy/index.asp.