EU Maritime Policy at the center of EU Strategy

Europe’s competitiveness and strategic autonomy pass through shipping, as the guarantor of energy and food supply in the EU.

The European Commission’s recent initiatives, like the Sustainable Transport Investment Plan (STIP) and the EU Industrial Maritime Strategy, are encouraging signs that EU shipping’s indispensability is being acknowledged.

Placing shipping at the heart of EU’s strategic policy-making will help strengthen the continent’s resilience and global influence.

In a holistic view, concrete actions should inter alia:

• focus on global competitiveness, free trade and maintenance of the current EU fiscal framework for shipping,
• withdraw regional measures which weaken Europe’s position in global markets,
• support an efficient and pragmatic international regulatory regime for shipping’s decarbonisation,
• safeguard shipping SMEs, which constitute the backbone of EU shipping,
• facilitate access to competitive ship finance and remove unnecessary burden and restrictions.

The EU Industrial Maritime Strategy is a milestone for enhancing EU shipping’s global competitiveness.