EUROPEAN INDUSTRY ALLIANCE BACKS EU PORT REFORM

EUROPEAN INDUSTRY ALLIANCE BACKS EU PORT REFORM Five European industry associations have written a joint letter urging Jos' Mar'a Aznar, the president of the European Union council, to act on transport liberalization, including on the proposed directive on port reform.
   The five associations are the Organization for Forwarding and Logistics, the European Community Association of Ship Brokers and Agents, the European Community Shipowners’ Association, the European Shippers’ Council and the Union of Industrial and Employers’ Confederations of Europe.
   In a joint letter to Spanish Prime Minister Aznar, the industry alliance urged the European council to “give its full backing to the European Commission’s proposal for a Directive on Market Access to Port Services at the EU Summit in Barcelona.”
   The EC proposal for directive on ports aims to grant free market access to port services.
   “The directive, if adopted with its full original scope, would facilitate the completion of the internal transport market and improve the quality and efficiency of port services,” the industry alliance said. “This in turn would increase the efficiency of supply chains and support a more prominent role for maritime transport and short-sea shipping, thereby promoting the development of a sustainable transport policy.”
   By contrast, ports have criticized the EC directive, saying that it does not respect their different sizes and situations.