Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions - Strategic goals and recommendations for the EU’s maritime transport policy until 2018
Date: 2009-01-21
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: competition policy, maritime transport, marketing, transport network, transport policy

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COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES 

Brussels, 21.1.2009 
COM(2009) 8 final 

COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN 
PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL 
COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS 

Strategic goals and recommendations for the EU’s maritime transport policy until 2018 

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COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN 
PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL 
COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS 

Strategic goals and recommendations for the EU’s maritime transport policy until 2018 

1. 

INTRODUCTION  

For  Europe,  shipping  has  been  one  of  the  key  stepping  stones  to  economic  growth  and 
prosperity  throughout  its  history.  Maritime  transport  services1  are  essential  in  helping  the 
European economy and European companies to compete globally. Moreover, shipping and all 
related maritime industries are an important source of revenues and jobs in Europe.  

80% of world trade is carried by sea whilst short-sea shipping carries 40% of intra-European 
freight. With more than 400 million sea passengers passing through European ports each year, 
maritime transport has also a direct impact on the quality of life of citizens, both as tourists 
and inhabitants of islands and peripheral regions.  

In recent years, growth in the world economy and international merchandise trade has fuelled 
demand  for  maritime  transport  services.  However,  at  the  end  of  2008,  the  impact  of  the 
financial crisis on the real economy is also felt in the shipping sector. An appropriate policy 
approach  is  needed  in  order  to  ensure  the  continuous  performance  of  the  EU  maritime 
transport  system  and  its  contribution  to  the  recovery  of  the  world  economy.  Beyond  the 
current conjuncture, this policy approach should ensure that Europe retains a core human and 
technological know-how serving the sustainability and competitiveness of current and future 
shipping operations.  

The purpose of this Communication is to present the main strategic goals for the European 
maritime transport system up to 2018 and to identify key areas for action where action by the 
EU  will  strengthen  the  competitiveness  of  the  sector  while  enhancing  its  environmental 
performance.  The  underlying  economic  context  and  the  characteristics  of  shipping  market 
cycles have been taken into account. 
This communication is set in the broader context of the EU Transport Policy2 (‘Keep Europe 
moving: a transport policy for sustainable mobility’) and the EU Integrated Maritime Policy3 
(the ‘Blue Paper’). It also aims at supporting other relevant policies, namely the EU’s energy 
and  environmental  policy.  It  is  the  result  of  continuous  dialogue  with  the  experts  of  the 
Member  States,  the  independent  advice  of  a  group  of  senior  shipping  professionals  and  an 
analytical study examining trends and signals of change in seaborne transport4. 

2. 

EUROPEAN SHIPPING IN GLOBALISED MARKETS 

Europe plays a major role in today’s shipping world, with European companies owning 41% 
of the world’s total fleet (in dwt). The adaptation of European shipping to the requirements of 

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For detailed information see EUROSTAT – Maritime Transport Statistics - http://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/ 
COM(2006) 314, 22.6.2006. 
COM(2007) 575, 10.10.2007. 
This Communication should be read in conjunction with the Report from the Group of Senior Shipping 
Professionals  to  the  Commission  (September  2008)  and  the  study  ‘OPTIMAR  —  Benchmarking 
strategic options for European shipping and for the European maritime transport system in the horizon 
2008-2018’, where all relevant statistics and figures are provided. 

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the  global  economy  has  brought  about  significant  structural  changes  in  the  sector. 
Competitive pressure from shipping nations around the world has also increased significantly 
as a result of globalisation.  

A  number  of  measures  introduced  by  Member  States,  in  line  with  the  Community 
Guidelines for State aids for maritime transport, have contributed  to keeping  part of  the 
fleet  on  European  registers  and  generating  jobs  for  European  seafarers.  However,  European 
flags continue to face acute competition from the registers of third countries. Often, foreign 
competitors  have  significant  advantages  in  terms  of  government  support,  access  to  cheap 
capital, and abundant labour or flexible enforcement of internationally agreed standards. 

In the context of the current economic crisis, other factors such as the risks of overcapacity in 
certain market segments, protectionist trade measures by third countries, volatility in energy 
markets or loss of know-how due to the scarcity of skilled human resources in Europe could 
prompt shipping head offices and maritime industries to relocate overseas, undermining 
the EU’s efforts to ensure quality shipping around the world.  

The conclusions of the Commission’s strategic review exercise are as follows: 

–  It  is  of  key  interest  for  the  EU  to  achieve  and  maintain  stable  and  predictable  global 
competitive conditions for shipping and other maritime industries. An attractive framework 
for  quality  shipping  and  quality  operators  in  Europe  will  contribute to  the  success  of  the 
Lisbon Growth and Jobs Strategy, strengthening the competitiveness of European maritime 
clusters. This will also ensure the resilience of the European maritime transport sector 
in the face of economic slowdown.  

–  A clear and competitive EU framework for tonnage taxation, income taxation and state 
aid should be maintained and, where appropriate, improved, in the light of the experience 
gained under the State aid guidelines for maritime transport. The framework should allow 
positive measures to support greener shipping efforts, technological innovation as well as 
maritime  careers  and  professional  skills.  The  feasibility  of  a  reinforced  link  between 
employment in the maritime clusters and aid should be examined. 

–  Strong  action  in  support  of  fair  international  maritime  trade conditions  and  access  to 
markets  is  vital.  The  liberalisation  of  trade  in  maritime  services  should  continue  at  all 
levels.  While  negotiating  in  the  World  Trade  Organisation  (WTO),  the  EC  should  also 
intensify the dialogue and bilateral agreements with key trade and shipping partners. 

–  Commitment to quality shipping efforts, whereby, in general, working together to achieve 
a  level  playing  field  for  maritime  transport,  by  observing  internationally  agreed  rules  at 
global level, should be part of these efforts. 

–  In respect of anti-trust law, the Commission has recently reviewed the specific competition 
rules  applicable  to  the  provision  of  maritime  transport  services  to  and  from  Europe.  The 
Commission will continue to monitor market conditions, examine the economic impact of 
the  new  anti-trust  approach  and  take  appropriate  action  if  necessary.  Moreover,  the 
Commission  will  take  the  lead  to  promote  alignment  of  the  substantive  competition 
rules globally. 

–  Intensified  globalisation  has  also  put  more  stress  on  the  delicate  balance  of  the 
international framework governing the rights and responsibilities of nations as flag, port 
and coastal states. The principle of ‘genuine link’ as set out in the UN Convention on the 
Law of the Sea should be a key instrument in international  efforts to support sustainable 
development goals. 

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3. 

HUMAN RESOURCES, SEAMANSHIP AND MARITIME KNOW-HOW 

Over  recent  years,  maritime  transport  industries  have  created  many  jobs,  directly  and 
indirectly. Some 70% of shipping-related jobs are knowledge-intensive, high-quality jobs on 
shore. The growing shortage of maritime professionals, officers and ratings entails the risk 
of  losing  the  critical  mass  of  human  resources  that  sustains  the  competitiveness  of  the 
European maritime industries in general.  

There  is  a  genuine  EU  interest  in  emphasizing  the  attractiveness  of  the  maritime 
professions  to  Europeans  by  means  of  actions  that  involve,  where  appropriate,  the 
Commission, the Member States and the industry itself.  

Community actions should aim, in particular, to: 

–  Adopt  positive  measures  facilitating  lifelong  career  prospects  in  the  maritime  clusters, 
giving  special  consideration  to  developing  advanced  skills  and  qualifications  of  EU 
officers to enhance their employment prospects, and ensuring that ratings have good career 
paths to become officers. 

–  Enhance  the  image  of  shipping  and  careers  at  sea,  improve  awareness  of  job 
opportunities, facilitate labour mobility in the maritime industries throughout Europe and 
encourage best practices in promotion and recruitment campaigns.  

–  Support the work of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) and the International 
Labour Organisation (ILO) on the fair treatment of seafarers, to ensure, inter alia, that 
the  guidelines  on  the  treatment  of  seafarers  in  the  event  of  a  maritime  accident, 
abandonment,  personal  injury  or  death  of  seafarers,  and  shore  leave  conditions  are 
adequately implemented in the EU and worldwide. 

–  Follow  up  the  Commission’s  Communication  on  reassessing  the  regulatory  social 

framework for more and better seafaring jobs in the EU5. 

–  Promote  better  use  of  information  and  communication  technologies  (ICT)  for 
improving  quality  of  life  at  sea.  Foster  the  availability  of  satellite  broadband 
communications in areas such as on-board healthcare, distance learning as well as personal 
communications.  

–  Implement  Simplification  measures to reduce the administrative burden on Masters and 

senior officers on board ships.  

Here, the right balance needs to be struck between the employment conditions of EU seafarers 
and the competitiveness of the European fleet. A task force will be set up to identify ways of 
achieving this objective.  

The  maintenance  of  high  training  standards  and  the  professional  competence  of  crews  are 
essential  to  ensure  safe,  secure  and  environmentally  sound  shipping  operations.  Hence  the 
need for the EU and its Member States to provide the appropriate framework for the provision 
of education and training for crews in the form of measures aimed in particular at:  

–  Ensuring  thorough  enforcement  of  international  and  Community  requirements  under  the 
International  Convention  on  Standards  of  Training,  Certification  and  Watchkeeping  for 
Seafarers (STCW) by all nations granting seafarers’ certificates of competence. 

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COM(2007) 591, 10.10.2007. 

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–  Making  a  substantial  contribution  to  the  revision  of  the  STCW  Convention,  using 
Community instruments to secure both the rapid entry into force of the revised convention 
and its effective implementation and enforcement. 

–  Promoting  cooperation  between  European  maritime  training  institutions  for  upgrading 
seafarers’ competences and adapting requirements to the prerequisites of today’s shipping 
industry (sophisticated vessels, ICT, security and safety).  

–  Working  in  partnership  with  training  institutions  and  the  industry  towards  establishing 
‘maritime certificates of excellence’ (European maritime postgraduate courses) that may 
well  go  further  than  STCW  requirements.  In  that  context,  the  creation  of  a  network  of 
centres of excellence for maritime training in Europe (European Maritime Academy) could 
be considered. 

–  Introducing,  for  the  education  of  officers,  an  ‘Erasmus’-type  model  for  exchanges 

between the maritime training institutions of the Member States. 

–  Promoting in partnership with industry the provision of places, where necessary backed by 
incentives, for cadets to be taken on board during their studies in EU training institutes. 

With  regard  to  labour  conditions,  the  first  priority  of  the  European  Union  is  to  ensure  the 
implementation  of  the  ILO  2006  Maritime  Labour  Convention  (MLC)  to  improve 
working and living conditions on board ships. The agreement between EU social partners on 
the implementation of key elements of this Convention demonstrates the wide support within 
the industry in this field. The action of the EU and its Member States should aim to: 

–  Move  towards  rapid  ratification  of  the  2006  MLC  by  Member  States  and  the  early 
adoption of the Commission’s proposal based on the industry agreement for implementing 
its key elements in EU law. 

–  Ensure  the  effective  enforcement  of  the  new  rules  by  means  of  adequate  measures, 

including flag and port State control requirements. 

–  Promote  the  development  of  a  goal-based  framework  for  the  safe  manning  of  ships, 
addressing  the  issue  of  fatigue  and  adequate  watch  conditions  at  international  and  EU 
level. 

–  Foster  and  support  research  addressing  the  human  element  factor,  which  is  a  complex 
multi-dimensional  issue  affecting  the  well  being  of  people  at  sea,  often  with  direct 
implications for maritime safety and environmental protection.  

–  Consider measures to improve on board health care. 

4. 

QUALITY SHIPPING AS A KEY COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE  

By 2018, the world fleet could count some 100,000 vessels (500 dwt and more) in operation 
(77,500 vessels in 2008). In terms of volume, the increase would be even more spectacular: its 
total  capacity  is  expected  to  reach  more  than  2,100  million  dwt  in  2018  (up  from  1,156 
million dwt in 2008)6. 

4.1. 

Improving the environmental performance 

In  recent  years,  European  maritime  transport  administrations  and  the  European  shipping 
industry  have  made  significant  efforts  to  improve  the  environmental  record  of  maritime 
transport. The EU regulatory framework has been strengthened and cooperation with Member 

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Source: OPTIMAR Study, LR Fairplay Research Ltd & Partners (September 2008). 

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States has been increased to tackle issues including the prevention of accidents and incidents, 
atmospheric emissions, ballast water treatment and ship recycling.  

Those  efforts  must  continue.  The  Commission,  Member  States  and  the  European  maritime 
industry  should  work  together  towards  the  long-term  objective  of  ‘zero-waste,  zero-
emission’ maritime transport. To that end, the main priorities should be to:  

–  Ensure  steady  progress  towards  a  coherent  and  comprehensive  approach  to  reduce 
greenhouse  gas  emissions  (GHG)  from  international  shipping,  combining  technical, 
operational and market-based measures.  

–  In  that  regard,  the  EU  should  actively  work  in  the  IMO  to  pursue  the  limitation  or 
reduction of emissions of greenhouse gases from ships7. A legally-binding regime should 
be adopted at the UNFCCC Copenhagen Conference in December 2009. In the absence of 
progress in such efforts, the EU should make proposals at European level. 

–  Ensure  that  Member  States  are  able  to  achieve  "good  environmental  status"  in  marine 
waters covered by their sovereignty or jurisdiction by 2020, as required by the new Marine 
Strategy Framework Directive8. 

–  Strengthen EU legislation regarding port reception facilities for ship-generated waste and 
cargo residue, improving the implementation arrangements. In that regard, ensure both the 
availability of adequate facilities and administrative procedures to meet the expected traffic 
growth.  

–  Follow up the proposals detailed in the Commission's Communication on an EU strategy 
for  better  ship  dismantling9.  Ensure  the  adoption  of  the  IMO  Convention  on  Ship 
Recycling and steady progress towards its future implementation. 

–  Oversee  the  smooth  implementation  of  the  amendments  adopted  by  the  IMO  in  October 
2008  to  MARPOL  Annex  VI  to  reduce  sulphur  oxides  and  nitrogen  oxides  emissions 
from ships. This includes assessing which European sea areas qualify as Emission Control 
Areas,  the  availability  of  the  adequate  fuels  and  the  impacts  on  short-sea  shipping.  The 
Commission's proposals should ensure that modal ‘back-shift’ from short-sea shipping to 
road is avoided.  

–  Promote  alternative  fuel  solutions  in  ports,  such  as  the  use  of  shore-side  electricity.  The 
Commission  will  propose  a  time-limited  tax  exemption  for  shore-side  electricity  in  the 
forthcoming  review  of  the  Energy  Taxation  Directive  as  a  first  step  and  elaborate  a 
comprehensive incentive and regulatory framework. 

–  Re-launch  the  Commission’s  ‘Quality  Shipping  Campaign’,  by  means  of  partnership 
agreements with the EU maritime administrations, the maritime industries at large and the 
users of maritime transport services.  

–  In that context, promote a European Environmental Management System for Maritime 
Transport  (EMS-MT),  targeting  the  continuous  improvement  of  the  environmental 
performance  of  shipping;  consider  modulation  of  registration  fees,  port  dues  and  other 
charges, with a view to rewarding efforts towards greener shipping. 

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Mandatory reduction measures should be applicable to all ships in the world's fleet. Today, more than 
75% of the world fleet is registered in countries that have not signed up to the Kyoto Protocol. 
OJ L 164, 25.6.2008, p. 19. 
COM(2008) 767, 19.11.2008. 

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4.2.  Maritime transport safety 
With the adoption and subsequent implementation of the 3rd Maritime Safety Package, the EU 
now  has  one  of  the  world’s  most  comprehensive  and  advanced  regulatory  frameworks  for 
shipping.  Moreover,  both  the  EU  maritime  administrations  and  European  shipping  have 
invested heavily in the implementation of safety and security requirements. 

However, growth of the fleet, the entry into service of very large carriers for the transport of 
both  passengers  and  freight  and  the  exponential  growth  in  shipping  operations  will 
significantly  add  to  the  pressure  on  maritime  safety.  Increasing  the  number  of  open  and 
navigable waters will inevitably attract traffic through the so-called Northern Sea Route with 
its special requirements. An expansion of the Suez Canal would mean larger vessels and more 
traffic across the Mediterranean with bigger risks. 

In the years to come, the EU and the Member States should: 

–  Give  priority  to  the  enforcement  of  existing  EU  and  international  rules  and  the  speedy 

implementation of measures introduced with the 3rd Maritime Safety Package. 

–  Revise  the  mandate  and  the  functioning  of  the  European  Maritime  Safety  Agency,  in 
order to further enhance the technical and scientific assistance it can give to the Member 
States and the Commission.  

–  Increase  the  effectiveness  of  EU  involvement  in  the  IMO  and  reinforce  international 
cooperation  with  EU  trading  and  shipping  partners,  promoting  a  shared  maritime  safety 
culture  and  common  efforts,  e.g.  on  port-state  control  inspections,  in  particular  with 
neighbouring countries. 

–  In  that  context,  devote  special  attention  to  the  challenges  posed  by  extreme  navigation 
conditions, such as ice, as well as the constantly increasing size of vessels. Appropriate ice 
navigation  and  construction  standards  and  assistance  requirements  (ice-breakers)  should 
apply in respect of all vessels operating in the more exposed sea areas.  

–  Take care to ensure the systematic application of the IMO “Guidelines on the treatment 
of  persons  rescued  at  sea".  Europe  should  be  at  the  forefront  of  efforts  to  provide 
assistance and clarify obligations regarding the rescue of distressed persons. In particular, 
such  efforts  should  ensure  that  coastal  states  co-ordinate  and  co-operate  with  all  parties 
concerned, while also serving as an incentive to masters to fulfil their obligations.  

–  Ensure  that  all  European  maritime  administrations  deploy  the  economic  and  human 
resources needed to ensure the fulfilment of their responsibilities as flag, port and coastal 
States. All EU Member States should be on the "White List" of the Paris Memorandum 
of Understanding on Port State Control by 2012 at the latest.  

–  Act  within  the  IMO  with  the  aim  of  reaching,  as  soon  as  possible,  an  agreement  on  an 
efficient international framework regulating liability and compensation for damage in 
connection with the carriage of hazardous and noxious substances by sea. 

–  Ensure that, by 2012, all Member States are bound, in line with their commitment, by all 
the relevant international conventions and that they fulfil the requirements of the Code for 
the Implementation of Mandatory IMO Instruments, as well as the IMO Member State 
Audit Scheme. 

4.3.  Maritime transport security  

The European shipping industry has made substantial efforts to implement the mandatory 
security  measures  adopted  in  2002  by  the  IMO  and  introduced  into  EU  law  in  2004. 
However,  the  terrorist  threat  shows  no  signs  of  decreasing  and  ships  and  ports  alike  will 

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continue to face the threat of terrorist acts. Moreover, very serious concerns about acts of 
piracy and armed robbery at sea persist. A further difficulty relates to incidents involving 
people smuggling, trafficking and stowaways.  

The  challenge  is  to  complete  the  work  already  started  in  establishing  a  comprehensive 
framework of security measures based on prevention, reaction capacity and resilience. This 
should lead to a genuine ‘security culture’ becoming an integral part of quality shipping and 
port operations,  while not compromising unnecessarily the performance of shipping and the 
quality of life of seafarers and passengers. 

With  due  regard  to  the  respective  competences  in  this  field,  the  action  of  the  EU  and  its 
Member States should have the following aims: 

–  In  respect  of  terrorism  threats,  the  Commission  and  Member  States  should  continue  to 
support  the  implementation  of  international  security  measures  commensurate  with  the 
prevailing security threat and based on appropriate risk analysis methodologies. Flag states 
and  ship  owners  need  to  cooperate  closely  and  seafarers  need  to  receive  the  appropriate 
basic and continuous training. 

–  The Commission and Member States should take full advantage of the framework offered 
by the security amendments to the Community Customs Code, thereby contributing to the 
international efforts to secure the international supply chain. 

–  As regards piracy and armed robbery, the Commission and Member States must adopt a 
firm response and contribute to safer shipping in the afflicted areas. Europe should play a 
role  in  the  development  and  stabilisation  of  the  countries  from  where  such  attacks  come 
from. 

–  In that regard, the most urgent priority is to protect seafarers, fishermen and passengers 
on ships sailing off the coast of Somalia, in the Gulf of Aden or in any other region of 
the world that could become problematic in the future.  

–  Moreover,  the  stability  of  the  world  seaborne  transport  system  requires  protecting 
international shipping lanes against any acts that might disrupt the flow of traffic through 
them.  For  example,  with  more  than  12%  of  the  total  volume  of  oil  transported  by  sea 
through the Gulf of Aden, large scale diversions around the Cape of Good Hope would not 
only double the length of a typical voyage from the Gulf to Europe, but also significantly 
increase fuel consumption, emissions and transport costs. 

–  The Commission and the Member States should establish resilience plans, including early 
alert  systems,  joint  monitoring  of  events  and  protection  plans.  Such  mechanisms  should 
benefit  from  the  full  use  of  LRIT  and  other appropriate  surveillance  systems,  as  well  as, 
reinforced coordination of the responsible authorities in the Member States. 

–  The  Commission  and  the  Member  States  should  work  together  to  ensure  adequate 
improvements  to  the  International  Ship  and  Port  Facility  Security  Code  (ISPS);  a 
programme  of  technical  assistance  for  port  and  maritime  administrations  should  be 
considered. 

4.4.  Maritime surveillance  

Looking  ahead  to  2018,  the  capacities  of  the  EU’s  maritime  transport  system  should  be 
strengthened by putting in place an integrated information management system to enable the 
identification,  monitoring,  tracking  and  reporting  of  all  vessels  at  sea  and  on  inland 
waterways  to  and  from  European  ports  and  in  transit  through  or  in  close  proximity  to  EU 
waters. 

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Such a system would be part of the e-Maritime Initiative and develop into an integrated EU 
system  providing  e-services  at  the  different  levels  of  the  transport  chain.  In  that  regard,  the 
system  should  be  able  to  interface  with  the  e-Freight,  e-Customs  and  Intelligent  Transport 
Systems10, allowing the users to track and trace the cargo not only during the waterborne part 
of the journey, but across all transport modes in a true spirit of co-modality.  

In  a  broader  context,  building  on  the  resources  currently  available,  such  as  AIS,  LRIT, 
SafeSeaNet or CleanSeaNet, or those that are being developed, such as Galileo and GMES, 
and taking into account the need to fully develop EUROSUR11, the EU  should promote  the 
creation of a platform to ensure the convergence of sea-, land- and space-based technologies, 
the integrity of applications and appropriate management and control of information on a 
"need-to-know"  basis.  Civil-military  cooperation  should  be  promoted  in  order  to  avoid 
duplication. 

.The  Commission  is  also  working  towards  the  creation  of  an  integrated  cross-border  and 
cross-sectoral EU surveillance system12. One of its key objectives is to set up an exchange of 
information networks amongst national authorities, with a view to increasing interoperability 
of surveillance activities, improving the effectiveness of the operations at sea and facilitating 
the implementation of the relevant Community legislation and policies13. 

4.5  Maritime transport as a key element of EU energy security  

Maritime transport is key to Europe's energy security and therefore is an important instrument 
of the European energy policy. Seaborne transport is to be seen as part of the EU strategy of 
diversification  of  routes  and  of  energy  sources.  90  %  of  oil  is  transported  by  sea,  while 
there  is  an  increasing  trend  towards  transport  of  natural  gas  in  a  liquefied  form  by  tankers 
(LNG). Many other energy products are transported by sea as well14. 

The fleet transporting energy products, in all its branches of activity – crude oil and products 
tankers, LNG and LPG and off-shore servicing vessels, is increasingly important for ensuring 
well-functioning  energy  markets  and  security  of  supply,  and  hence  the  well  being  of 
European citizens and of the European economy as a whole. 

More  particularly  recent  disruptions  in  the  terrestrial  supply  of  gas  and  oil  underline  more 
than  ever  the  importance  of  LNG  infrastructure.  As  emphasized  notably  in  the  Second 
Strategic  Energy  Review15,  LNG  facilities  are  essential  for  increasing  flexibility  in  gas 
supplies in the internal energy market, thus enabling solidarity in crisis.The fleet transporting 
energy products must be up to the highest technological standards and the crews serving the 
fleet must be well trained, in the framework of EU efforts on quality shipping. 

5. 

WORKING TOGETHER ON THE INTERNATIONAL SCENE  

The European Union has a longstanding commitment to open and fair competition in shipping 
and  also  to  quality  shipping.  Hence  its  support  for  the  work  of  the  specialised  international 

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COM(2007) 607, 18.10.2007. 
Cf. Council Conclusions on 5.6.2008 with regard to the future development of Frontex, the Eurosur and 
the future challenges of EU external border management. 
SEC(2008) 2737, 3.11.2008. 
An overview of the actions undertaken in 2008 is available in SEC (2008) 3727 of 13.10.2008 and a 
Communication  from  the  Commission  to  the  Council  and  the  European  Parliament  on  maritime 
surveillance is foreseen for 2009. 
See Commission staff working document on "Energy Policy and maritime policy: ensuring a better fit" 
- SEC(2007) 1283/2, 10.10.2007. 
SEC (2008) 2794 and SEC(2008) 2791. 

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organisations  in  the  maritime  transport  field,  including  the  IMO,  ILO,  WTO  and  WCO,  as 
well  as  its  strong  and  growing  network  of  bilateral  maritime  transport  agreements  and 
dialogues with key shipping and trading partners.  

The maritime transport agreement of 2002 between the Commission and the Member States 
and China is a good example in this context. The same approach is being followed in ongoing 
EU bilateral relations and negotiations at regional level, including in the Euro-Mediterranean 
Cooperation (Euromed), the Union for the Mediterranean or with Mercosur. 

The global challenges confronting shipping and maritime services today demand convincing 
answers from the international community. The Commission and the Member States are well 
placed  to  push  for  change  in  order  to  achieve  a  comprehensive  international  regulatory 
framework for shipping, suited to face the challenges of the 21st century:  

–  Concerted  action  at  European  level  is  crucial  in  several  fora,  for  example  concerning: 
governance  (UNCLOS),  international  trade  (WTO  and  bilateral  maritime  transport 
dialogues  and  agreements,  UNCITRAL),  safety,  security  and  environmental  protection 
(IMO), labour (ILO) or customs (WCO). 

–  The Commission and the Member States should strive for and cooperate towards achieving 
all  the  objectives  of  the  EU  maritime  safety  and  security  policies  by  means  of 
international  instruments  agreed  through  the  IMO.  If  IMO  negotiations  should  fail, 
however, then the EU should take the lead in implementing measures on matters that are of 
particular importance for the EU, as a first step, pending wider international agreement and 
taking the international competitive environment into consideration. 

–  For  the  EU  Member  States  to  act  as  an  efficient  team  that  can  rely  on  strong  individual 
players, requires enhancing the recognition and visibility of the EU within the IMO by 
formalising the EU coordination mechanism and granting formal observer status, if not full 
membership,  to  the  EU  within  this  organisation.  This  will  not  affect  the  rights  and 
obligations of the EU Member States in their capacity as IMO contracting parties.  

–  The  Commission  and  the  Member  States  should  work  towards  a  better  mechanism  for 
rapid ratification of IMO conventions at world level, including the examination of the 
possibility  of  replacing  ratification  based  on  flag  by  ratification  based  on  the  fleet  as 
defined by the country of residence. 

–  The Commission and the Member States should work with shipping and trading partners to 
ensure  a  convergence  of  views  in  the  IMO.  EU  international  cooperation  efforts  should 
lead 
the  establishment  of  a  mechanism  to  ensure  actual  enforcement  of 
internationally agreed rules by all flag and coastal states in the world.  

to 

–  .The Commission's recent Communication on the Arctic Region presents suggestions16 for 
protecting  and  preserving  this  maritime  basin  and,  in  particular,  for  ensuring 
sustainable Arctic commercial navigation, which should be followed up 

6. 

EXPLOITING  THE  FULL  POTENTIAL  OF  SHORT-SEA  SHIPPING  AND  SEA  TRANSPORT 
SERVICES FOR BUSINESS AND CITIZENS IN EUROPE 

Further  economic  integration  of  the  EEA  Member  States  and  neighbouring  countries  will 
have  positive  effects  on  intra-European  maritime  transport  connections.  Looking  ahead  to 
2018, the European economy should recover from the current crisis. Thus, maritime transport 
in the EU-27 is predicted to grow from 3.8 billion tonnes in 2006 to some 5.3 billion tonnes in 

16 

COM(2008) 763, 20.11.2008. 

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2018.  This  means  that  in  ten  years  time  the  infrastructure,  including  ports,  its  links  to  the 
hinterland,  and  the  shipping  industry  have  to  be  able  to  handle,  at  least,  1.6  billion  tonnes 
more  than  at  present.  Passenger  traffic,  including  ferries  and  cruise  ships,  will  also  grow. 
Territorial continuity, regional cohesion and quality standards for sea passengers will have to 
be ensured.  

The challenge is to provide the right mix of measures to ensure that ports can cope efficiently 
with  their  gateway  function.  This  would  require  both  providing  new  infrastructures  and 
improving the use of existing capacities by increasing port productivity. The existing system, 
including  hinterland  connections  and  freight  corridors,  has  to  be  adapted  to  cope  with  the 
expected growth. In that regard, the main priorities should be to:  

–  Establish  a  true  ‘European  maritime  transport  space  without  barriers’,  removing 
unnecessary  administrative  barriers,  duplicated  cross-border  controls,  the  lack  of 
harmonised documents and all other factors that hamper the potential growth of short-sea 
shipping.  

–  Implement  the  measures  announced  in  the  Communication  on  a  European  Ports  Policy 
.In full observance of safety, security and sustainable growth requirements, port services 
should  be  provided  in  all  cases  in  accordance  with  the  principles  of  fair  competition, 
financial transparency, non-discrimination and cost-efficiency.  

–  Ensure  the  right  conditions  for  attracting  investment  flows  to  the  port  sector, 
prioritising  modernisation  and  expansion  of  port  and  hinterland  connection  infrastructure 
projects in those areas that are more likely to suffer from congestion problems.  

–  Regarding environmental assessments for port expansion, fast-track procedures that cut the 
overall  lead  time  significantly  should  be  generalised.  To  this  end  the  Commission  will 
issue guidelines  on  the  application  of  relevant Community environmental legislation 
to port development17. 

–  Reinforce  the  EU  strategy  for  ensuring  the  full  deployment  of  Motorways  of  the  Sea 
projects,  further  facilitating  the  start-up  of  innovative  integrated  inter-modal  transport 
solutions,  simplifying  administrative  requirements  and  supporting  the  Commission's 
proposed initiatives in the field of greening transport.  

–  EU  funding  programmes  such  as  the  Trans-European  Network  Transport  projects, 
Marco  Polo  or  the  Regional  Policy  instruments  should  assist  in  those  developments  and 
address modal shift factors. 

–  Promote measures to facilitate better connection of islands and long-distance intra-EU 
passenger transport through quality ferry and cruise services, and appropriate terminals. 
Taking into account the experience gained since the adoption of the Cabotage Regulation 
as long ago as 1992, the framework for providing public maritime transport services that 
fully meet territorial continuity requirements could be improved. 

–  In  the  above  context,  examine  economic  instruments  (such  as  taxes,  charges  or  emission 
trading schemes) for "getting the prices right"18 encouraging users to make use of short 
sea  shipping  alternatives  addressing  road  congestion  problems  and,  in  general  promoting 
market solutions that contribute to the sustainability of the transport chain as a whole.  

–  Address the issue of passenger rights for users of ferry and cruise services in Europe, by 

promoting a quality campaign (awards for the best ferry operators). 

17 
18 

COM(2007) 616, 18.10.2007 European Ports Policy. 
COM(2008) 435, 8.7.2008. 

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7. 

EUROPE  SHOULD  BE  THE  WORLD  LEADER  IN  MARITIME  RESEARCH  AND 
INNOVATION 

The  competitiveness  of  Europe’s  maritime  industries,  and  their  ability  to  meet  the 
environmental, energy, safety and human-factor challenges they face is influenced to a large 
degree by research and innovation efforts, which are to be further encouraged.  

Today's  challenges  represent  significant  opportunities  for  industry  growth  and  efficiency. 
With  end  users  increasingly  focusing  on  the  level  of  "greening"  by  companies  along  the 
supply  chain,  and  shippers  demanding  environmentally  sound  transportation,  sustainability 
and corporate social responsibility are increasingly gaining ground as factors of competitive 
advantage.  

For  example,  in  the  maritime  transport  sector  there  is  wide  scope  for  improving  energy 
efficiency  in  ships,  reducing  their  environmental  impact,  minimising  the  risks  of  accidents 
and providing better quality of life at sea. There is a growing need for adequate inspection and 
monitoring  tools  and  for  the  development  of  advanced  technological  and  environmental 
standards. 

The European maritime industries should capitalise on the significant RTD efforts carried out 
under successive EU Research Framework Programmes and other activities:  

–  A major challenge is how to come up with new ship designs and equipment to improve 
safety  and  environmental  performance.  Targeted  RTD  initiatives  should  lead  to  new 
forms  of  design,  advanced  structures,  materials,  clean  propulsion  and  energy-efficient 
solutions. In order to maintain this competitive advantage, appropriate measures have to be 
taken to adequately protect knowledge and intellectual property. 

–  Technological  development  and  advanced  logistics  conceptions  which  maximise  the 
efficiency  of  the  overall  transport  chain  by  means  of  short  sea  shipping  and  inland 
waterway transport are also required for achieving sustainable mobility.  

–  All actors concerned should be involved so as to ensure that the solutions resulting from 
those  efforts  reach  the  market.  Full  use  should  be  made  of  RTD  platforms  such  as  the 
"WATERBORNE" Technology Platform. 

–  The  Commission's  recent  Communication  on  a  European  Marine  and  Maritime  Research 
Strategy19  sets  out  a  framework  for  Europe's  maritime  industries  to  address  these 
technological challenges through a better integration with marine science and research. 

–  Adequate  ICT  inspection  and  monitoring  tools,  also  related  to  surveillance,  should  be 
developed.  Technical  management  of  the  fleet,  including  remote  control  of  engine 
performance,  structural  strengths  and  the  overall  state  of  operation  of  vessels  should  be 
facilitated  by  means  of  advanced  telecommunication  systems.  To  this  end,  a  reference 
framework should be established to enable the deployment of ‘e-Maritime’ services20 at 
European and global levels. Such e-services should also encompass public administrations, 
port communities and shipping companies. 

8. 

CONCLUSION 

The European Union and its Member States have a strong common interest in promoting safe, 
secure and efficient intra-European and international shipping on clean oceans and seas, the 

19 

20 

COM(2008) 534, 3.9.2008. Programmes such as 'Leadership 2015" and "Life" also support innovation 
important for maritime transport. 
See point 4.4. 

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long-term  competitiveness  of  European  shipping  and  related  maritime  industries  in  world 
markets,  and  the  adaptation  of  the  entire  seaborne  transport  system  to  the  challenges  of  the 
21st century. 

The  strategic  options  presented  in  this  Communication  for  European  shipping  and  for  the 
European maritime transport system, looking ahead to 2018, represent a vision for achieving 
these goals. 

The proposed options are built on an integrated approach to maritime policy and based on the 
core  values  of  sustainable  development,  economic  growth  and  open  markets  in  fair 
competition and high environmental and social standards. The benefits set out in this vision 
should go beyond the frontiers of Europe and extend to the whole maritime world, including 
the developing countries. 

The  Commission's  intention  is  to  pursue  constructive  dialogue  with  all  stakeholders 
concerned  in  view  of  undertaking  action  for  the  practical  implementation  of  the  measures 
identified in this strategic review. 

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