EU study on cost-effective environmental charging in ports due soonEU study on cost-effective environmental charging in ports due soon

The scope of the meeting organised by the European Commission, Directorate-General for Mobility and Transport was to present the progress of an EU study assessing the various options that are currently applied in order to differentiate port infrastructure charges according to environmental or sustainability criteria.

The study is expected to deliver a guide to good practices with a set of principles and criteria that can be used by ports willing to implement, on a voluntary basis, efficient and cost-effective environmental charging.

Valeria Mangiarotti represented MedCruise, along with other port representatives stressed that the majority of ports are already using the same index (Environmental Shipping Index) or certification (Green Award) to grant rebates to ships and there is scope to work towards facilitating further this convergence and maximize the effectiveness of differentiated charging.

The question was therefore more to provide common instruments rather than to harmonise charges.

The final report of the study is expected by the end of March 2016.

The findings of the study and the discussions with Member States will be reflected in the European Commission's input in the context of the trans-European network and the review of the maritime transport strategy.