ESPO CALLS FOR BIG CHANGES TO BRUSSELS’ PORTS PLAN

[proud_ionian]

THE European Sea Ports Organisation has proposed major changes to the draft EU Ports Services Directive.

ESPO Secretary General Patrick Verhoeven said: “The basic freedom to provide services is in itself guaranteed by the EU Treaty. In ESPO’s view, the main utility of a Directive on port services is to set common rules in case this right might have to be constrained for the efficient management and operation of seaports and compliance with public service requirements or other requirements set in the general interest. Also, we believe a Directive should enhance fair and transparent conditions of competition both in and between ports.”

He noted that the Rapporteur of the European Parliament, Georg Jarzembowski, has proposed in his draft report a number of important improvements to the Commission’s proposal. But Mr Verhoeven said: “We however regret that the opportunity was not taken to develop a more fundamental revision of the proposal which is why we have this week suggested to Members of Parliament a series of more radical amendments”.

πηγη: mgn

[proud_ionian]

The ESPO amendment proposals are:

1. emphasise the pivotal role of the managing body of the port, the only party with sufficient knowledge of and practical experience with the running of a port; 2. do not impose the ways in which a service provider may gain access to the market (i.e. through authorisations or contracts), but clarify the conditions that may apply; 3. impose public selection procedures only in case of public interference with the market, i.e. in case State aid or public service requirements are involved; 4. make a direct link with common guidelines on State aid for seaports which should be issued before the Directive can be transposed into national law; 5. take into account that the relevant market is not the same for all types of port services; 6. do not unnecessarily jeopardise existing arrangements and do not interfere with ownership rights; 7. leave self-handling to be dealt with at national or local level.

Mr Verhoeven said: “ESPO’s amendments would turn the Directive into a proportional, clear and useful common framework “which can be adapted to the situation of each individual port and which does not needlessly interfere with the efficient management and well-functioning of European seaports.”

Members of the EU Parliament have until September 19 to submit amendments on the Directive. These will be discussed at Parliament’s Transport Committee (TRAN) meeting of October 10-11 and a vote is likely to be held at the TRAN meeting of 21-22 November. A vote in plenary, which will conclude the first reading in Parliament, would then follow during the week of December 12.

[proud_ionian]

The European Sea Ports Organisation has called for the EU to scrap the current Ports Directive and go back to the green paper stage of the legislative process.

Members of the Committee on Transport and Tourism (TRAN) of the European Parliament voted yesterday on the second directive proposal on market access to port services. “The result of the vote was very confusing,” ESPO said. Although the amended proposal was rejected, the legislative resolution on the directive was carried which means that the unamended commission proposal will now go to the plenary meeting of Parliament in January.

In an initial reaction, ESPO Chairman Giuliano Gallanti thanked Rapporteur Jarzembowski for his hard work and for having taken on board many of the port sector’s concerns. Mr Gallanti however admitted that the second directive proposal was not a good basis to start from. “We tried to put forward a complete alternative to the commission’s proposal and worked constructively with the Rapporteur in finding adequate changes. So far without result as it now seems.”

“The confusing outcome of today’s vote shows that the Directive remains a very controversial topic and that there is no clear political majority for it. As we know, amending in plenary is much more difficult than in committee and we have serious doubts whether it is really worthwhile continuing the political process on this basis. We are therefore wondering whether it would not be more reasonable for the Commission to withdraw this proposal and to start a proper discussion and consultation on alternative solutions, either in a legislative or a non-legislative way.”

Mr Gallanti further repeated the need to take a broader look at ports within the context of European policy-making. “Whatever happens to the directive, seaports should not disappear from the European agenda. Today we are being confronted with a patchwork of EU measures which impact in varying degrees upon our sector. The last European port policy paper dates back to 1997. Ports tremendously changed since then. It may therefore be time for a new Green Paper on seaports which ensures a stable policy framework for our sector.”

23 Nov 2005

mgn