Changes from report parliamentary committee draft to plenary report

Added39. Emphasises that a consistent European port strategy is essential to ensure fair competition; encourages increased cooperation between European ports and the elimination of harmful practices such as underpricing;

Removed25. Underlines the importance of maritime manufacturing in the EU as a foundation for maintaining a thriving maritime logistical sector;

Added40. Considers that a well-functioning customs union is fundamental to the EU’s competitiveness, sustainability and resilience; believes that a reformed and strengthened customs union with a common customs code will preserve the integrity of the single market, helping to maintain EU competitiveness in the twin green and digital transitions and avoid unfair competition between European ports;

Removed26. Calls on the Commission to stimulate programmes for innovation and further port digitalisation, such as smart ports programmes, with a view to improving the efficiency, productivity and sustainability of ports;

Added41. Stresses that differences in customs procedure policies at the EU’s points of entry into the customs union often distort trade flows and jeopardise the integrity of the European single market;

Added42. Recalls the importance of having in place harmonised customs controls in all European ports to avoid different application of sanitary or due diligence standards; insists that the Commission ensure that custom controls throughout the EU follow the same standards, by means of a direct unified customs control mechanism, in coordination with Member States and in full compliance with the principle of subsidiarity;

Added43. Recalls that ports are not stand-alone assets as they have their place in a vast waterborne ecosystem of maritime logistics and industry and supply chains driven by demand from European importers and exporters;

Added44. Is concerned about EU shipping companies facing restrictive maritime cabotage legislation in China, which effectively forbids them from carrying out cabotage operations between Chinese ports, while cabotage operations constitute a core element of the business model of Chinese shipping companies in and between certain EU ports; calls on the Commission to explore the possibility of introducing a reciprocal EU maritime cabotage law that could apply to certain non-EU shippers, such as China; recalls that the lack of investment reciprocity in ports harms EU interests;

Added45. Underlines the importance of the EU Global Gateway initiative as a strategic global alternative to the Chinese Belt and Road Initiative; emphasises the potential of Global Gateway projects in the maritime industry (e.g. port infrastructure, hinterland road and rail connection, green hydrogen) to create a network of ports that facilitate trade and investment and mutually beneficial partnerships;

Added46. Stresses the urgent need to improve the strength, capacity and resilience of hinterland connections of European ports, particularly those that are part of TEN-T, taking into account the need for emission reduction and energy efficiency and aiming to shift inland transport to rail and inland waterways as far as possible while also preparing for the impacts of climate change, such as extreme weather events and low water levels in inland waterways;

Added47. Suggests that the Commission establish an ’atlas’ of European ports, that maps, among other things, European commercial ports’ availability of on-shore power supply and alternative fuels, hinterland infrastructure (particularly rail) and shipping lanes, which could possibly build on the TENtec interactive maps and the European Alternative Fuels Observatory, but should also include smaller ports and further information; considers that such a mapping could help form an overall factual basis for the continued development of EU ports and related industries, such as freight and passenger transport, cruise traffic, fishing, offshore wind, fuel bunkering and manufacturing;

Added48. Underlines the importance of maritime manufacturing, such as shipbuilding and its supply-chain, in the EU as a foundation for maintaining a thriving waterborne sector; calls on the Commission to research and assess the impact of Europe’s dependence on foreign maritime manufacturing, to urgently define an ambitious European industrial maritime strategy and take adequate measures to enhance the competitiveness and resilience of Europe’s shipyards and their entire supply chains;

Added49. Calls on the Commission to introduce an enabling digital framework to stimulate programmes for innovation and further port digitalisation, such as smart ports programmes, with a view to improving the efficiency, productivity and sustainability of ports; underlines, in particular, the potential of digitalisation for port call optimisation (to reduce waiting times in coastal waters and ports), just-in-time arrivals, advanced navigation systems (for fuel savings and emissions reduction), automatic identification systems (for increased safety at sea and better enforcement of environmental provisions) as well as for drones and artificial intelligence solutions leading to better decisions on port infrastructure;

Added50. Emphasises that adequate funding and financing instruments will need to be allocated to ports for them to remain competitive, play an enabling role in the green transition, and contain risks of foreign influence; asks for the funding designated to ports under the Connecting Europe Facility to be increased; underlines the importance of private investments in ports and that companies are the ones providing employment and innovation in and around ports;

Conclusion

Change 15

Removed27. Calls on the Commission to present a comprehensive port strategy addressing the aforementioned issues;

Added51. Calls for a European Port Summit to further develop the aforementioned issues and to explore the possibilities for enhanced cooperation between European ports to this end;

Added52. Calls on the Commission to present a comprehensive European Port Strategy addressing the aforementioned issues by the end of 2024;

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53. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council and the Commission.