Independent journal on economy and transport policy
19:24 GMT+1
PORTS
The European Ports Association is alarmed by the planned reform of EU funding for transport infrastructure
Transport policy and funding - ESPO stressed - must be based on a European approach
Bruxelles
October 29, 2024
The European Ports Association fears that the next
European Commission, which is expected to take office in December to
carry out its five-year mandate until 2029 under the leadership of
President Ursula von der Leyen, is preparing to define
a thorough reform of the EU budget which would include
the inclusion of European transport funding in a single
financing plan for each Member State, limiting the
direct EU management of transport funding only
major cross-border projects such as Rail Baltica, the
Fehmarnbelt or the Lyon-Turin rail link.
The European Sea Ports Organisation (ESPO) has called for the next
rather, to maintain and strengthen the current instrument
funding for European transport infrastructure,
called the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF), and to better adapt it
to the needs of ports and their stakeholders. According to ESPO,
"This tool is the only effective way to
Ensuring the completion of a European transport network
state-of-the-art, extensive and well-functioning system that acts as a backbone
and as a facilitator of the European internal market. A transport network
- highlighted the association - is
also essential to strengthen Europe's resilience and to
improve his military preparation".
ESPO noted that 'the Commission's plan to make
to include investments in transport and ports in the individual
national plans is at odds with the need for a
common assessment and increased European planning, such as
indicated in the Draghi report. If ESPO understands that individual
national plans will have to meet strict criteria and follow the
EU priorities - noted the Ports Association
European Standards - The envisaged approach weakens European coordination
across Europe and risks undermining the
level playing field between Member States. In fact, a
approach based on national envelopes risks bringing back the
transport policy in the 80s, with national priorities
and a patchwork of 27 Member States and even more
Regions. In the absence of sufficient appropriations for ports and
important projects that take place in a port context (such as
those relating to the energy transition), transport, and in particular
port investments, risk being
neglected in individual plans in favour of priorities
politically more interesting".
'The end of CEF funding or any other
Similar instrument for financing transport infrastructure
- ESPO also noted - would mean that ports have to
comply with the strict requirements of the new TEN-T policy
while facing a situation where opportunities to
financing and long-term investment stability
are put at risk and will depend on priorities
(in the making) of national governments (in the making). This does not
will help maintain consistent views along the corridors
transport economies that are intended to link the economies of
entity, the European Union, and to help it compete with
other global economic powers".
"Furthermore - continued the association - we must not
forgetting that Member States have different state structures and
The management and ownership of ports are organised in accordance with
different levels of government, which has consequences on the conditions and
on accessibility to port funding. In addition
linking national funding for transport (and for
reform programme in some (other) areas, the
Commission could trigger cross-conditionality
which could dangerously jeopardise the progress of the
investments of ports, which have no responsibility
nor the competence to push for these reforms". Second
ESPO, "any future plan of the Commission should
prevent the financing of ports from being hampered by the
non-compliance of reforms at Member State level'.
"European ports - ESPO underlined - believe that the
transport investment plans and projects should be
essentially verified on the basis of their compliance with the
priorities set out in the European TEN-T policy and should be
priority on the basis of their contribution to greater
added value to the EU'.
In addition, the association recalled that if "the ports
(often) are not "cross-border" entities in
strictly speaking, however, have a crucial cross-border impact.
They are usually the starting point of intermodal operations
and serve maritime transport flows
cross-border markets, the local market in which they are located and also
many cross-border connections with the hinterland. Although it is
important - according to ESPO - the "cross-border" factor
should not be perceived as the only indicator of added value
of the EU. The transport sector is a network industry. A
missing link or little transport infrastructure
performance in one region has an impact on the entire network and therefore
undermines the proper functioning of the economy and society
European. Conversely, a well-functioning port ensures the
connectivity and brings added value far beyond borders
national teams of a country. As the Commission has already stated
In 2003, transport links are the arteries of the market
European interior. If they have lower performance, the
rest of the economy. If they're efficient, everyone benefits
the other sectors. This is why politics and funding
transport must be based on a European approach."
Highlighting the role of the European port sector not only in terms of
the EU economy, but also for the decarbonisation of the sector
maritime survey, and recalling that according to the most recent study
on the need for investment in ports,
These are quantified at 80 billion euros over the next ten years
(
of 30
April 2024), the Association of European Ports has proposed six
elements that should be an essential part of the other
Transport Infrastructure Financing Instrument
EU in order to be fully effective. Second
ESPO, "should reserve a budget for the most important ports
consistent; should ensure that a dedicated and
budget support those port projects that are
that are socially crucial and can help ports to
achieving a green, digital, secure and competitive Europe; Should
ensure that the cross-border criterion in the strict sense is not
a sine qua non condition for receiving funding; Should
ensure greater transparency in the selection of projects and on the
the role of the Member States in this process; should structure the
"calls" by modality, not by general topics,
in order to improve clarity and avoid overlapping
Areas; should reduce complexity and burdens
in the processes of submitting applications".
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