This proposal is the operational piece of a Commission Communication aiming to reinforce quality service in ports. It also includes a factual report on public financing and charging practices in Community ports and an interpretative summary of Community rules on transparency of public money flows into and within seaports and of state aids to seaports. Ports play a crucial role in intra and extra Community trade. Short sea shipping along the EU's and its neighbouring countries' coasts moves about one third of all goods with considerable growth. Further positive development of short sea shipping will have to rely on efficient ports.
Port services are essential for the functioning of ports.
They include in particular cargo handling, towage, mooring, pilotage and passenger services. They represent a major part of total costs of port calls for ships and of cargo transported through ports. The area of port services has in recent years undergone fundamental changes, and these changes are far from over. Whereas previously a single, monopolistic service provider, in many cases publicly-owned or controlled, was the rule, competitive market forces have gained ground and the public sector has been pushed back. Welcome and encouraging, this trend is far from uniform, although already existing Community rules on freedom to provide services, the right of establishment and competition rules equally apply to ports.