The Port of Rotterdam Authority says it is satisfied with the EU regulation on port services recently adopted by the European Parliament. This means that 15 years after the presentation of the first European ‘ports package’, we finally have a European regulatory framework for seaports. For Rotterdam, the adoption of this regulation is specifically important because it allows Europe to take further steps towards a level playing field for seaports in its member states.
The regulation on port services includes agreements about market access for port services and increased transparency in the seaports’ financial arrangements. In the view of the Port of Rotterdam Authority, it is of crucial importance that we first achieve clarity regarding the scale of public financial support provided to Europe’s different ports. After this, we need to formulate new guidelines for state aid that create a level playing field for European seaports in terms of financing.