European Union Policy for PortsPerspectives for 2010-2011

Patrick VerhoevenTRANSTEC 2010 – St. Petersburg, 5 October 2010

Summary

1. Transport and Infrastructure Policy

2. Seaport Policy

3. Agenda of ESPO

1. Transport and Infrastructure Policy

•TEN-T Review•Transport Policy White Paper

• Stronger focus on freight transport

• Pan-European vision instead of ‘national shopping lists’

• Dual layer planning:• Comprehensive network: bottom-up• Core network: top-down

TEN-T Review – main issues (I)

• Comprehensive network:• Underlying layer, starts from existing infrastructure networks

• Bottom-up development (Member States)

• Focus on bottlenecks, missing links, inter-connectivity

• Core network:• Builds up from comprehensive network

• Top-down planning layer (EU)

• Step 1: Identify main nodes (seaports, airports and capital cities)

• Step 2: Identify main multi-modal corridors

• Objectives: internal market, cohesion, sustainability

TEN-T Review – main issues (II)

• Implementation:• TEN-T is not just about new infrastructure

• It is also about optimising existing infrastructure

• Commitments Member States crucial

• Coordinating role EU

• Financing:• Coordination of existing infrastructure funds

• Increase of TEN-T budget (?)

• Other sources (e.g. internalisation external costs)

TEN-T Review – main issues (III)

• Motorways of the Sea:• Concept as such not contested• But implementation raises several issues:

• Distortion of competition• Lack of market response due to complex bureaucracy• Extension to third countries

• Review MoS together with review TEN-T

TEN-T Review – main issues (IV)

Current comprehensive network of ports (Category ‘A’ seaports)

Source: European Commission 2005

TEN-T ReviewESPO view on core network of ports

• Principles:

• Potential for decarbonisation and limitation of external costs

• Gateway function linking main EU markets with the rest of the world

• Connection between maritime and land-based networks

• Market responsiveness and reliability

• Criteria:

• Volume concentration

• Scale and other positive effects to reduce CO2 and other externalities

• Limitation of total transportation time and costs to main markets

• Modal split in favour of co-modality (rail, barge, shortsea)

• Network function with inland ports, dry ports, other seaports

• Innovative use of existing infrastructure

TEN-T Review – procedure

15 September 2010 Consultation on methodology closed (+ 300 responses)

October 2010 Commission Communication with results consultation and refined proposal for planning methodology

Winter 2010-2011 Commission (DG Move) plans actual proposal for networks

March-April 2011 Internal Commission approval procedure

May-June 2011 Legislative proposal for TEN-T Guidelines

Rest 2011 - … Political process (Member States / European Parliament)

Transport Policy Review

• Preparation new White Paper (end 2010)• Vision for future of transport and mobility to 2020• Emphasis on environmental objectives (climate

change)• Innovative technologies and full integration of

transport modes• Integration with neighbouring countries• Internalisation of external costs / (self-)financing

of infrastructure

3. Seaport Policy

• State aid guidelines• Concessions• Dock labour• Environmental

guidelines• Administrative

simplification

State aid guidelines

• Very little progress with guidelines as such:• Responsibility shifted to DG Competition

• A study is planned

• But significant shift in thinking:• Recent State aid cases ports of Piraeus and Ventspils

• Provision of infrastructure facilities to third parties against remuneration is an economic activity

• Port authority is an economic undertaking

• Traditional distinction between ‘general’ and ‘commercial’ infrastructure no longer holds

Concessions

• Commission (DG Markt) consultation on possible legislative initiative on service concessions

• Horizontal instrument, would cover ports together with many other sectors

• Aim is to codify general principles of transparency, public selection, non-discrimination etc.

• Outcome consultation not clear (runs until 30 September)

• ESPO believes guidance in 2007 Ports Policy Communication is sufficient

Dock labour

•ITMMA report made for ESPO

•Commission will follow-up with more in-depth study, to be finalised in 2011

•EU Social Dialogue likely to start in 2011, focusing on:

•Health and safety

•Training and qualifications

Environmental guidelines

• Requested by port sector

• Commission working group with sectoral experts: port authorities, terminal operators, dredgers, environmental NGOs, academics, Member States

• Guidelines cover Birds Directive, Habitats Directive (regulates “Natura 2000” areas) and Water Framework Directive, not waste, noise nor emissions

• 3-tiered structure: Communication, Guidelines, Technical Support Document

• Publication expected end of 2010

Administrative simplification

• ‘European Maritime Transport Space without Barriers’ initiative

• Aim: create internal market for short-sea shipping

• Directive on reporting formalities for ships calling at EU ports enters into force 2013

• ‘Blue Belt’ concept Belgian Council Presidency

• E-maritime, E-freight and E-customs initiatives

3. Agenda of ESPO

• Port Governance Fact Finding Report

• PPRISM Project• Guide on Concessions• Societal Integration of Ports• Review Environmental

Code of Practice• Review EcoPorts Tools

Port Governance Fact Finding Report

• Origins: Community Port Working Group (1974)

• Analysis of institutional and functional profile European ports

• Four editions so far: 1977, 1986, 1996, 2005

• 2010 edition based on new conceptual background

• Extensive survey April-July 2010:

• Institutional framework

• Objectives and functions

• Financial capabilities• 116 port authorities from 26 countries responded• Results are analysed now and will be made public in November• Seminar for ESPO members on 10 November in Brussels

PPRISM project

• EC co-funded project on port performance indicators

• ESPO leads with five academic partners (Universities of Antwerp, Brussels, Cardiff, Eindhoven and Aegean)

• Objective: to identify set of relevant, transparent and realistic indicators that could form basis of European port ‘observatory’

• Five fields: market trends, logistics, socio-economic, environment and governance

• Analysis based on stakeholder assessment (ESPO Technical Committees)

• Runs until end 2011

http://pprism.espo.be/

Guide on Concessions

• Basis: 2007 ESPO/ITMMA survey on the awarding of seaport terminals to private operators (current practices and viewpoints)

• Issues:– Awarding procedures– Awarding process– Contract provisions (durations / fees / clauses)– Ending of contract / extensions

• Objective: guidance based on best practice, taking into account EU principles on transparency

• To be finalised November 2010• Ongoing work - database of good practices

Societal Integration of Ports

• Aim: reconcile ports with the societal context in which they operate

• Dimensions:• Public image• City-port interface• Employment• …

• Annual ESPO Award• ESPO Code of Practice

Review Environmental Code of Practice

• Update of the generic policy principles• Thematic approach based on the priorities

identified in the 2009 ESPO / EcoPorts Environmental Survey

• Main themes: air quality, noise, dredging, port development, …

• More hands-on: what can port authorities commit themselves to?

• Publication September 2011

Review EcoPorts Tools

•EcoPorts fully integrated in ESPO as of 2011

•EcoPorts tools accessible to all ESPO members

•Ports obtain ‘EcoPorts status’ if they complete Self-Diagnosis Method (SDM)

•SDM and PERS tools will be reviewed and modernised

To note in your calendar …

• ESPO AGM and 2010 Award Ceremony Brussels, 9-10 November 2010

• GreenPort Logistics Conference

Venice, 23-24 February 2011

• ESPO 2011 Conference

Limassol, 5-6 May 2011

Thank you for your attention

Patrick Verhoeven – Secretary GeneralEuropean Sea Ports Organisation (ESPO)

Treurenberg 6 – B-1000 Brussel / Bruxelles - Tel + 32 2 736 34 63 – Fax + 32 2 736 63 25Email: pverhoeven@espo.be – www.espo.be