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 Safety, Environment
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Developments on the proposed Directive on Market
Access to Port Services
 The
European Commission proposed directive on market access to port services
is welcomed. The aim with the directive, to open up full market access
to European port services, is highly commendable and long awaited.
Port
services are essential to the proper functioning of maritime transport
since they make an essential contribution to the efficient use of maritime
transport infrastructure. Facilitating access to the port service market
at community level should remove prevailing restrictions that hamper access
to port service operators, improve quality of services provided to users
of the port, increase efficiency and flexibility, help reduce costs and
thereby contribute to facilitating, among other things, short sea shipping
and promotion of the modal shift.
It
is recalled that this is the first time ever there is a proposal put forward
regulating the port area in the European context. This may partly explain
why this has been, and is, a rather tough discussion.
The
issue is one of the top priorities for the Spanish Presidency and they
have pushed the file forward in Council. Discussions have been tense and
the way things are now turning is not so positive for the shipping sector.
The solutions and compromises being looked at would mean quite a watering
down of the Commission original proposal, which may render the whole aim
of this legislation, rather questionable.
While
safety-, social- and, labour aspects are of great importance, and the
port sector is not different from any other sector in this respect, such
arguments must not be misused as arguments for the preservation of inefficient
and/or monopolistic situations in ports.
The starting point must be to take a positive view towards introducing
a good framework for the liberalising of port services, where no port
services should, a priori, be excluded from the directive and transitional
periods, where necessary, must be reasonable.
There
must also be a possibility to arrange for self-handling of technical-nautical
services (including pilotage), cargo handling and, passenger services.
At
the time of writing it remains to be seen what type of discussion transport
ministers will be holding at the Transport Council meeting on the 17th
June 2002. As things stand at this moment and against the background that
many EU member states have elections this year the process of finding
possible common ground and feasible solutions is even more difficult.
The Presidency might therefore be wise to try and keep the discussion
in Council to progress achieved rather than trying to force through a
political decision.
// Per. A. Sjöberger
Back to SSG 6, June 14
Latest update 18-10-2006 8:49
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 CURRENT SSG |
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No 22/2008
Order a copy
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| CURRENT SST |
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No 21/2008
Köp numret
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2002