Meeting 2 Summary Report 16.4.2010

Baltic Sea Parliamentary ConferenceWorking Group on Integrated Maritime PolicyTo the: 16th April 2010Representatives of Parliaments,Parliamentary Assemblies, Institutionsand Working Group Membersof the Baltic Sea Parliamentary ConferenceAbstract of the 2nd Session of the Working Group on “Integrated Maritime Policy,especially infrastructure and logistics” in Brussels on 15th and 16th April 2010The second meeting of the Working Group on “Integrated Maritime Policy, especiallyinfrastructure and logistics” was held in Brussels under the chairmanship of Mr JochenSchulte (MP, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania) in the premises of the EuropeanParliament and the Committee of the Regions on 15th and 16th April 2010. 27 Represen-tatives of 13 parliaments and parliamentary assemblies attended the meeting. Theworking group was extended by MPs from the Russian Council of Federation, theFinnish Parliament and from the Land Parliament Schleswig-Holstein. Ms LisbethGrönfeldt Bergman (MP, Sweden) from the Nordic Council was appointed Vice-Chair.Members of the European Parliament, representatives of the European Commissionand the Committee of the Regions as well as representatives from the European PortsOrganisation and the European Community Shipowners Association informed theparticipants about issues on the EU Integrated Maritime Policy, Trans EuropeanNetworks, maritime transport and environmental aspects, Short Sea Shipping and theco-operation between the EU and Russia on these fields.Mr Nikolay Lvov (Moscow) explained the work and co-operation of the RussianParliament’s Commission on Maritime Policy, which was set up in 2006 and which dealswith the utilisation of marine resources, maritime traffic and safety as well asenvironmental issues.Mr Werner Kuhn (MEP, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania) gave an introduction of thefocal points and the development of the European Transport Policy from the EuropeanParliament’s point of the view. He described the fundamental importance of the Trans-European-Networks (TEN-T) and Motorways of the Sea (MoS), the Harbour-Infrastructure and their connections to the hinterland as well.1Mr Knut Fleckenstein (MEP, Hamburg) illustrated the relationship between the EU andRussia. The co-operation is based on special policies which have to be extended infuture. He stressed the need for legally binding agreements which included all fields ofco-operation. Mobility and possibilities for the trade of goods were essential.Mr Patrick Norroy (EC, DG Move) gave an insight into the topic “Measures to promoteShort Sea Shipping” on the basis of the Commission’s Transport Strategy up to 2018.He highlighted three challenges: the reduction of pollutant emissions, the effects of theeconomic crisis including the increasing prices of fuels as well as the improvement oftransport systems and the elimination of technical and infrastructural bottlenecks.Mr Pawel Stelmaszczyk (EC, DG Move) briefed the participants on the revision of theTEN-T, MoS and the Marco-Polo-Project which will be better financed in future.Recently the latter project will be broadened to passenger traffics and linked with clearobjectives on the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.Mr Patrick Verhoeven (European Sea Ports Organisation, ESPO) illustrated the theme“Port infrastructure and the effects of environmental legislation” and the societal integra-tion. The 1,200 ports in Europe were very diverse in size, ownership, organisation andsustainability as well as depending on their location. He stated that the awareness ofport managers on environmental issues was growing all over the world as a result of thelegislation and the need for saving costs and that Maritime Spatial Planning would be animportant instrument in order to clear conflicts of interests. Further on he criticised thatthe EU legislation did not work effectively. So he demanded a better dialogue betweenindustry, NGOs, EU member states and the COM. He also referred to the “World PortsClimate Initiative” for strengthening the efforts of combating hazardous emissions ofships in ports. Regarding the revision of the TEN-T, he demanded the identification ofpriorities.Mr Alfons Gunier (European Community Shipowners Association, ECSA), focused hispresentation on the sulphur content in bunker fuels, the promotion of Short SeaShipping and finally on the European maritime transport space without barriers. Hestated that European ship owners controlled 41% of the global merchant fleet whichmeant that Europe was a leader in shipping. Regarding the emissions he underlinedthat shipping was an environmentally friendly way of transport. With a share of 90%shipping was most eminent for the global trade but on the other hand shipping wasresponsible for 2-4% of the global CO -emissions. With reference to the sulphur2emissions in bunker fuels ECSA welcomed the decisions of the IMO to reduce thecontent to 0.1% up to 2015 in SECA but he saw the risk of a modal shift (up to 50%)from sea to land. A change from 1.5% to 0.5% would mean an increase of bunker fuelcosts of 20 to 30%, a reduction to 0.1% an increase up to 60%. According to studies, byusing 0.1% sulphur in bunker fuels and having a modal shift of only 20% the reductionof external costs would completely disappear. So the studies described 0.5% of sulphurin bunker fuels as a win-win-situation. Further-on he urged for a better taxation andcustoms clearance.2Mr Dr. Gerhard Stahl, (Committee of the Regions) welcomed the participants andexplained the organisation as such and its tasks. He informed that the CoR had built upthe Intergroup “Baltic Sea Regions” which dealt with different aspects of thedevelopment and integrated maritime policy around the Baltic. In this framework thetopics logistics and infrastructure were in the main focus of the political discussions. Hesaid that this sector was a political challenge because different aspects were affecting alarge scale of economic, environmental and social matters. On the other hand the CoRsupported the EU Baltic Sea Strategy by contributing ideas and initiatives to the COM.Ms Izolda Bulvianaite (EC, DG Mare) focused on the implementation, situation andprospects of the IMP. She illustrated that the DG Mare had been reorganised withspecial regard to the IMP and the characteristics of the sea basins in Europe. The maingoal of the IMP was that different demands and interests to the sea had to be weightedup carefully in a cross-sectoral approach for guaranteeing a sustainable development.She defined the integration of Maritime Surveillance Systems, Maritime Spatial Planning(MSP), Maritime Data as an important basis for the IMP. Further the exchange of databetween the different sectors had to be strengthening for more efficiency. She informedthat the European Council and the Regions called for the implementation of the IMP ona regional basis considering the geographical characteristics, economic and socialsituation and environmental challenges. Inter alia key actions of the IMP were thedevelopment of good maritime governance structures, the implementation of the MSP,the realisation of the EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive and the HELCOM BalticSea Action Plan.Mr Giovanni Mendola (EC, DG Move) explained the Communication on the EU-Strategy for maritime transport up to 2019 and the revision of the European ports policy.Summarising he outlined some strategic goals to stabilise the role of Europe as a keyplayer on the global market: European shipping in globalised markets, human resources,seamanship and maritime know-how, co-operation on the international level, use of thefull range of Short Sea Shipping and Transport Services, investments in research andinnovation, maritime Safety and last but not least in technologies for green shipping.With regard to the port policies he focused on state aid and environmental guidelinesand social dialogue as well. He stated that financial support and investments wereessential to raise the importance of ports for the economy. Also ports had to be adaptedto environmental legislation and rules. A set of guidelines would probably be adopted in2010. Consultations between port stakeholders and public authorities should go hand inhand with social partners.Mr Aleksey Zinoviev (MP) presented the Kaliningrad region port infrastructure and themain transport connections. He complained that the Kaliningrad region was not alwayspresent in the projects presented by the EU. So he was interested and was looking outfor additional contacts, business and participation in EU projects. He stated theimportant strategic position of the Kaliningrad ports in the Baltic and their connectionwith the main European transport routes. The ports had been under reconstructionrecently to comply with state-of-the-art technology and infrastructure. A new deepwaterport was also under construction.3Internal matters:The meeting decided that the Chairman could give an interim report of the workinggroup at the 19th BSPC in Mariehamn.The next session will be held in Copenhagen on 15th June 2010. The working group willprepare first political recommendations for the 19th Baltic Sea Parliamentary Conferencein 29th to 31st August 2010 in Mariehamn, Åland, based on the expert hearings,consultations and political debates.Regarding the report and draft recommendations for the resolution it was decided thatthe secretariat could prepare first draft recommendations for the Expanded StandingCommittee on 3rd June in Vilnius which would be circulated by email and considered indetail at the next working group session in Copenhagen. The draft interim report willdiscussed as well.It was also decided to pick up questions of competitiveness among regions and ports inthe Baltic in the second half of 2010.Jochen SchulteChairmanContact:Landtag Mecklenburg-VorpommernReferat Internationalen Angelegenheiten/OstseekooperationGerald GutzeitLennéstraße 119053 SchwerinGERMANYphone: +49 385 525.2760telefax: +49 385 525.2759mailto:intaff@landtag-mv.dewww.landtag-mv.de4