On Friday 11 October 2013, Portius is organising a seminar in Antwerp on the recent developments in EU port legislation.
The central focus is on how the new EU Ports Regulation and Concessions Directive will impact on the port and shipping industries. The new Ports Regulation will impose a whole new set of rules regarding market access and financing on a series of port activities, including cargo-handling, passenger services, pilotage, towage, mooring and unmooring, bunkering, waste reception and dredging.
The licensing and selection of companies, monopolies, public service obligations, port tariffs, safety standards and user consultation are some of the aspects of the European port landscape about to undergo dramatic change. The political debate on the new Regulation has only just begun. On 30 September, Portius attended the first discussion within the Transport Commission of the European Parliament in Brussels.
The European Parliamentary report is due on 5 November. The purpose of the forthcoming Portius seminar is not only to inform; the opinions voiced will also help direct the further debate.
The European Concessions Directive is on the verge of adoption by the European Parliament. Concessions for port activities and services will become subject to European rules for the assignment of concession holders by port authorities. The registration fee for our forthcoming seminar amounts to just EUR 75 (EUR 50 for our advisors and partners).
After the first week of registration, the list of participants already extended to Belgium, Germany, Italy, Croatia, Latvia, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Serbia, South Africa and the United Kingdom.
The program has been complemented with three interesting new speakers: Prof. Goran Vojkovic of the Inland Navigation Development Centre Ltd. (CRUP) and the Universities of Zagreb and Zadar in the new EU Member State of Croatia, Prof. Dr. Mr. Jan Simons, Rapporteur on the Ports Regulation in the European Economic and Social Committee, and Erik de Neef of the European Boatmen Association (EBA).
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Press Release, October 3, 2013