The European shipping industry, represented by the signatories to this statement issued on the occasion of European Shipping Week 2017, welcomes the European Commission’s mid-term review of the EU Maritime Transport Strategy 2009-2018.

• The industry endorses the emphasis on better regulation. Absolute priority must in this respect be given to a fundamental overhaul of the EU Reporting Formalities’ Directive. The revision should lead to a true European single window environment for maritime carriers that fully ensures the ‘reporting once’ principle and which shares all necessary cargo and conveyance data between governments and all relevant authorities. This would reduce the administrative burden for ship crews, shipping companies and ship agents. More simplifications of procedures and requirements are, however, needed to put shipping on an equal par with land-based transport modes, which already benefit from a Single Market. Europe’s commerce and economy need shipping to have a genuine Maritime Space without Barriers that will deliver real environmental and logistics benefits.

• This is one of the reasons why the European shipping industry calls upon the EU institutions and Member States to go beyond a regulatory fitness check of existing legislation. A new shipping strategy is needed for the next decade, beyond 2018. The initiative of the Maltese Presidency of the EU to adopt a Ministerial Declaration on Maritime Transport Policy is therefore a welcome first step. We hope subsequent presidencies will continue this momentum within the maritime area.

• The future EU shipping strategy should be ambitious and aim at promoting Europe as a globally leading, high-quality region for shipping to do business in. This requires investment in an attractive business climate, a highly skilled European workforce, consistent implementation of international environmental and safety standards as well as policies which are truly relevant and conducive to facilitating trade. The strategy should firmly put shipping in its diversity at the heart of the maritime cluster.

• The future EU shipping strategy should particularly show leadership in assisting the shipping industry to meet global challenges. In the face of increasing political uncertainties worldwide, the EU should affirm its role as the world’s champion of free and fair trade. It should also help the IMO shape a global strategy to ensure the shipping industry meets its climate obligations in an environmentally, socially and economically sustainable way.

• The signatories to this statement are fully committed to shaping the EU Shipping Strategy 2019-2028 over the next year and look forward to working with the European Commission, the European Parliament and Member States in making its implementation a great success.

For more information, please contact:

Patrick Verhoeven
Secretary General
Rue Ducale, Hertogstraat 67/B2, 1000 Brussels, Belgium
T +32 2 510 61 26
patrick.verhoeven@ecsa.eu

Karoliina Rasi
Director – Public Affairs & Communications
Rue Ducale, Hertogstraat 67/B2, 1000 Brussels, Belgium
T +32 2 510 61 34
M +32 476 349 263
Karoliina.rasi@ecsa.eu