BETA


2020/0067(COD) Provision of port services and financial transparency of ports: enabling managing bodies or competent authorities to provide flexibility in respect of the levying of port infrastructure charges in the context of the COVID-19 outbreak

Progress: Procedure completed

RoleCommitteeRapporteurShadows
Lead TRAN
Lead committee dossier:
Legal Basis:
RoP 163, TFEU 100-p2

Events

2020/06/10
   EC - Commission response to text adopted in plenary
Documents
2020/05/27
   Final act published in Official Journal
Details

PURPOSE: to ensure the financial sustainability of ship operators in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic by introducing temporary flexibility in port services.

LEGISLATIVE ACT: Regulation (EU) 2020/697 of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Regulation (EU) 2017/352, so as to allow the managing body of a port or the competent authority to provide flexibility in respect of the levying of port infrastructure charges in the context of the COVID-19 outbreak.

CONTENT: under Regulation (EU) 2017/352 of the European Parliament and of the Council, Member States are required to ensure that port infrastructure charges are levied.

The spread of COVID-19 is having a serious negative impact on the shipping industry. The serious consequences for maritime transport services and the use of port infrastructure have been pervasive since the beginning of March 2020 and are expected to continue throughout 2020.

In this context, the new transitional provision introduced gives the manager of a port or the competent authority the possibility to decide to waive, suspend, reduce or defer the collection of port infrastructure charges for the period from 1 March 2020 to 31 October 2020.

The port manager or the competent authority shall ensure that port users and representatives or associations of port users are informed accordingly.

The waiver, suspension, reduction or deferral of the payment of port infrastructure charges shall be granted in a transparent, objective and non-discriminatory way.

The provisions of the Regulation shall also apply to port infrastructure charges due for a period prior to its entry into force.

ENTRY INTO FORCE: 28.5.2020.

2020/05/26
   EP - End of procedure in Parliament
2020/05/25
   CSL - Draft final act
Documents
2020/05/25
   EP/CSL - Act adopted by Council after Parliament's 1st reading
2020/05/25
   CSL - Final act signed
2020/05/13
   EP - Committee referral announced in Parliament, 1st reading
2020/05/13
   EP - Decision by Parliament, 1st reading
Details

The European Parliament adopted by 531 votes to 141, with 16 abstentions, a legislative resolution on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Regulation (EU) 2017/352, so as to enable managing bodies or competent authorities to provide flexibility in respect of the levying of port infrastructure charges in the context of the COVID-19 outbreak.

It should be noted that a proposal to reject the Commission proposal, tabled by the Green/EFA group, was rejected in plenary.

Parliament adopted its position at first reading under the ordinary legislative procedure. As an agreement was reached between Parliament and Council, Parliament's position corresponds to the final legislative act.

The proposed Regulation aims at ensuring the financial stability of ship operators in the context of the COVID-19 outbreak by relaxing the current rule requiring Member States to ensure the payment of a port infrastructure charges.

In view of the consequences of the COVID-19 outbreak, the new transitional provision provides the managing bodies of a port or the competent authorities with the possibility to waive, suspend, reduce or defer the payment of port infrastructure charges due for the period from 1 March 2020 to 31 December 2020.

The waiver, suspension, reduction or deferral of the port infrastructure charge must be granted in a transparent, objective and non-discriminatory way to all port users subject to port infrastructure charges.

Documents
2020/05/04
   EP - Decision by committee, without report
2020/04/29
   EC - Legislative proposal published
Details

PURPOSE: to enable managing bodies or competent authorities to provide flexibility in respect of the levying of port infrastructure charges in the context of the COVID-19 outbreak.

PROPOSED ACT: Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council.

ROLE OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT: the European Parliament decides in accordance with the ordinary legislative procedure on an equal footing with the Council.

BACKGROUND: the outbreak of COVID-19 is having a serious impact on maritime transport and on the financial sustainability of operators and is likely to continue to have an impact throughout 2020.

Regulation (EU) 2017/352

of the European Parliament and of the Council requires Member States to ensure that port infrastructure charges are levied by a managing body of a port or by a competent authority. There is no exception from this obligation to levy charges, not even in exceptional circumstances.

However, in view of the consequences of the COVID-19 outbreak, it is appropriate to allow Member States to provide the managing bodies of a port or the competent authorities with the possibility to waive, suspend, reduce or defer the payment of port infrastructure charges due for the period from 1 March 2020 to 31 December 2020.

CONTENT: the Commission therefore proposes to amend Regulation (EU) 2017/352 which establishes a framework for the provision of port services and common rules on the financial transparency of ports.

It is proposed that the new transitional provision shall provide Member States with the option to allow managing bodies of a port or competent authorities to decide whether to:

waive (condone, i.e. not require the payment at all); or suspend (freeze or put on hold the payment for a certain time period); or reduce (decrease the payment); or defer (require the payment at a later point in time) the payment of the port infrastructure charges.

As the duration of the impact on maritime transport of the outbreak of COVID-19 is uncertain and in order to allow for sufficient flexibility for the sector, the new transitional provision shall apply to port infrastructure charges due for the period between 1 March 2020 and 31 December 2020.

This new provision also stipulates that the managing body of a port or the competent authority shall ensure that port users and the representatives or associations of port users are informed accordingly. The time limit of two months referred to in Regulation (EU) 2017/352 shall not apply.

Documents

Votes

Demande d'application de la procédure d'urgence: Redevances d’infrastructure portuaire - C9-0123/2020 - 2020/0067(COD) #

2020/05/13 Outcome: +: 596, -: 90, 0: 3
IT ES PL FR DE RO HU PT BG EL CZ SK SE AT BE HR SI LT DK EE LV CY FI MT NL LU IE
Total
75
57
50
78
90
33
21
21
17
20
21
14
21
19
21
10
8
11
13
7
8
6
14
6
29
6
13
icon: PPE PPE
184

Estonia PPE

For (1)

1

Latvia PPE

2
2

Malta PPE

2

Luxembourg PPE

2
icon: S&D S&D
142

Greece S&D

2

Belgium S&D

For (1)

3

Slovenia S&D

2

Lithuania S&D

2

Estonia S&D

2

Latvia S&D

2

Cyprus S&D

2

Luxembourg S&D

For (1)

1
icon: Renew Renew
98

Italy Renew

For (1)

1

Hungary Renew

2

Slovakia Renew

2

Austria Renew

For (1)

1

Croatia Renew

For (1)

1

Slovenia Renew

2

Lithuania Renew

2

Estonia Renew

3

Latvia Renew

For (1)

1

Finland Renew

3

Luxembourg Renew

2

Ireland Renew

2
icon: ID ID
74

Czechia ID

2
3

Denmark ID

For (1)

1

Estonia ID

For (1)

1

Finland ID

2

Netherlands ID

Against (1)

1
icon: ECR ECR
61

Germany ECR

For (1)

1

Bulgaria ECR

2

Greece ECR

1

Croatia ECR

For (1)

1

Lithuania ECR

1

Latvia ECR

2
icon: GUE/NGL GUE/NGL
39

Czechia GUE/NGL

1

Sweden GUE/NGL

Against (1)

1

Belgium GUE/NGL

For (1)

1

Denmark GUE/NGL

Against (1)

1

Cyprus GUE/NGL

2

Finland GUE/NGL

Against (1)

1

Netherlands GUE/NGL

Against (1)

1

Ireland GUE/NGL

4
icon: NI NI
26

Germany NI

Against (1)

2

Hungary NI

1

Greece NI

Abstain (1)

3

Slovakia NI

2

Croatia NI

Against (1)

1

Netherlands NI

Against (1)

1
icon: Verts/ALE Verts/ALE
65

Spain Verts/ALE

2

Portugal Verts/ALE

Against (1)

1

Czechia Verts/ALE

3

Sweden Verts/ALE

3

Austria Verts/ALE

3

Belgium Verts/ALE

3

Lithuania Verts/ALE

2

Denmark Verts/ALE

2

Latvia Verts/ALE

Against (1)

1

Finland Verts/ALE

3

Netherlands Verts/ALE

3

Luxembourg Verts/ALE

Against (1)

1

Ireland Verts/ALE

2

Vote final: Redevances d’infrastructure portuaire - C9-0123/2020 - 2020/0067(COD) #

2020/05/15 Outcome: +: 531, -: 141, 0: 16
IT ES DE FR RO HU EL AT BG SK NL SE CZ IE DK HR SI FI EE MT LT CY LU PT LV PL BE
Total
75
58
91
78
31
21
21
19
17
14
29
19
21
13
14
12
8
13
7
6
11
6
6
20
8
49
21
icon: PPE PPE
185

Denmark PPE

For (1)

1

Estonia PPE

For (1)

1

Malta PPE

2
2

Luxembourg PPE

2

Latvia PPE

2

Belgium PPE

4
icon: S&D S&D
136

Greece S&D

2

Slovenia S&D

2

Finland S&D

1

Estonia S&D

2

Lithuania S&D

2

Cyprus S&D

2

Luxembourg S&D

For (1)

1

Latvia S&D

2

Belgium S&D

For (1)

3
icon: Renew Renew
98

Italy Renew

For (1)

1

Hungary Renew

2

Austria Renew

For (1)

1

Slovakia Renew

2

Ireland Renew

2

Croatia Renew

For (1)

1

Slovenia Renew

2

Finland Renew

3

Estonia Renew

3

Lithuania Renew

2

Luxembourg Renew

2

Latvia Renew

For (1)

1

Belgium Renew

4
icon: ID ID
75
3

Netherlands ID

Against (1)

1

Czechia ID

2

Denmark ID

For (1)

1

Finland ID

2

Estonia ID

For (1)

1
icon: NI NI
29

Germany NI

Against (1)

2

Hungary NI

1

Slovakia NI

2

Netherlands NI

Against (1)

1

Croatia NI

Against (1)

2
icon: GUE/NGL GUE/NGL
39

Netherlands GUE/NGL

Against (1)

1

Sweden GUE/NGL

Against (1)

1

Czechia GUE/NGL

1

Ireland GUE/NGL

Against (1)

4

Denmark GUE/NGL

Against (1)

1

Finland GUE/NGL

For (1)

1

Cyprus GUE/NGL

2

Portugal GUE/NGL

4

Belgium GUE/NGL

Abstain (1)

1
icon: ECR ECR
59

Germany ECR

Abstain (1)

1

Romania ECR

Against (1)

1

Greece ECR

Against (1)

1

Bulgaria ECR

2

Slovakia ECR

2

Sweden ECR

For (1)

Against (1)

2

Croatia ECR

Against (1)

1

Lithuania ECR

Against (1)

1

Latvia ECR

2
icon: Verts/ALE Verts/ALE
67

Spain Verts/ALE

2

Austria Verts/ALE

3

Netherlands Verts/ALE

3

Sweden Verts/ALE

3

Czechia Verts/ALE

3

Ireland Verts/ALE

For (1)

Against (1)

2

Denmark Verts/ALE

2

Finland Verts/ALE

3

Lithuania Verts/ALE

2

Luxembourg Verts/ALE

Against (1)

1

Portugal Verts/ALE

Against (1)

1

Latvia Verts/ALE

Against (1)

1

Belgium Verts/ALE

3

History

(these mark the time of scraping, not the official date of the change)

docs/0
date
2020-04-29T00:00:00
docs
summary
type
Legislative proposal
body
EC
docs/1
date
2020-06-10T00:00:00
docs
title: SP(2020)229
type
Commission response to text adopted in plenary
body
EC
docs/2
date
2020-06-10T00:00:00
docs
title: SP(2020)229
type
Commission response to text adopted in plenary
body
EC
docs/2/docs/0/url
/oeil/spdoc.do?i=53020&j=0&l=en
events/0
date
2020-04-29T00:00:00
type
Legislative proposal published
body
EC
docs
summary
docs/0
date
2020-04-29T00:00:00
docs
summary
type
Legislative proposal
body
EC
docs/2
date
2020-06-10T00:00:00
docs
url: /oeil/spdoc.do?i=53020&j=0&l=en title: SP(2020)229
type
Commission response to text adopted in plenary
body
EC
events/0
date
2020-04-29T00:00:00
type
Legislative proposal published
body
EC
docs
summary
events/1
date
2020-05-13T00:00:00
type
Committee referral announced in Parliament, 1st reading/single reading
body
EP
events/1/type
Old
Committee referral announced in Parliament, 1st reading/single reading
New
Committee referral announced in Parliament, 1st reading
events/2
date
2020-05-13T00:00:00
type
Committee referral announced in Parliament, 1st reading/single reading
body
EP
events/2
date
2020-05-13T00:00:00
type
Decision by Parliament, 1st reading/single reading
body
EP
docs
url: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/TA-9-2020-0128_EN.html title: T9-0128/2020
summary
events/2/type
Old
Decision by Parliament, 1st reading/single reading
New
Decision by Parliament, 1st reading
events/3
date
2020-05-13T00:00:00
type
Decision by Parliament, 1st reading/single reading
body
EP
docs
url: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/TA-9-2020-0128_EN.html title: T9-0128/2020
summary
events/6
date
2020-05-27T00:00:00
type
Final act published in Official Journal
docs
events/6/summary
  • PURPOSE: to ensure the financial sustainability of ship operators in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic by introducing temporary flexibility in port services.
  • LEGISLATIVE ACT: Regulation (EU) 2020/697 of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Regulation (EU) 2017/352, so as to allow the managing body of a port or the competent authority to provide flexibility in respect of the levying of port infrastructure charges in the context of the COVID-19 outbreak.
  • CONTENT: under Regulation (EU) 2017/352 of the European Parliament and of the Council, Member States are required to ensure that port infrastructure charges are levied.
  • The spread of COVID-19 is having a serious negative impact on the shipping industry. The serious consequences for maritime transport services and the use of port infrastructure have been pervasive since the beginning of March 2020 and are expected to continue throughout 2020.
  • In this context, the new transitional provision introduced gives the manager of a port or the competent authority the possibility to decide to waive, suspend, reduce or defer the collection of port infrastructure charges for the period from 1 March 2020 to 31 October 2020.
  • The port manager or the competent authority shall ensure that port users and representatives or associations of port users are informed accordingly.
  • The waiver, suspension, reduction or deferral of the payment of port infrastructure charges shall be granted in a transparent, objective and non-discriminatory way.
  • The provisions of the Regulation shall also apply to port infrastructure charges due for a period prior to its entry into force.
  • ENTRY INTO FORCE: 28.5.2020.
events/7
date
2020-05-27T00:00:00
type
Final act published in Official Journal
docs
docs/0
date
2020-05-13T00:00:00
docs
url: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/TA-9-2020-0128_EN.html title: T9-0128/2020
type
Text adopted by Parliament, 1st reading/single reading
body
EP
events/3/summary
  • The European Parliament adopted by 531 votes to 141, with 16 abstentions, a legislative resolution on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Regulation (EU) 2017/352, so as to enable managing bodies or competent authorities to provide flexibility in respect of the levying of port infrastructure charges in the context of the COVID-19 outbreak.
  • It should be noted that a proposal to reject the Commission proposal, tabled by the Green/EFA group, was rejected in plenary.
  • Parliament adopted its position at first reading under the ordinary legislative procedure. As an agreement was reached between Parliament and Council, Parliament's position corresponds to the final legislative act.
  • The proposed Regulation aims at ensuring the financial stability of ship operators in the context of the COVID-19 outbreak by relaxing the current rule requiring Member States to ensure the payment of a port infrastructure charges.
  • In view of the consequences of the COVID-19 outbreak, the new transitional provision provides the managing bodies of a port or the competent authorities with the possibility to waive, suspend, reduce or defer the payment of port infrastructure charges due for the period from 1 March 2020 to 31 December 2020.
  • The waiver, suspension, reduction or deferral of the port infrastructure charge must be granted in a transparent, objective and non-discriminatory way to all port users subject to port infrastructure charges.
events/4
date
2020-05-25T00:00:00
type
Act adopted by Council after Parliament's 1st reading
body
EP/CSL
events/6
date
2020-05-26T00:00:00
type
End of procedure in Parliament
body
EP
events/7
date
2020-05-27T00:00:00
type
Final act published in Official Journal
docs
procedure/final
title
Regulation 2020/697
url
https://eur-lex.europa.eu/smartapi/cgi/sga_doc?smartapi!celexplus!prod!CELEXnumdoc&lg=EN&numdoc=32020R0697
procedure/stage_reached
Old
Awaiting Council 1st reading position / budgetary conciliation convocation
New
Procedure completed
events/4
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2020-05-25T00:00:00
type
Final act signed
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CSL
docs/0
date
2020-05-13T00:00:00
docs
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2020-04-29T00:00:00
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Legislative proposal
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2020-05-25T00:00:00
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Draft final act
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CSL
events/1
date
2020-05-04T00:00:00
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Decision by committee, without report
body
EP
events/2
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2020-05-13T00:00:00
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Committee referral announced in Parliament, 1st reading/single reading
body
EP
events/3
date
2020-05-13T00:00:00
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Decision by Parliament, 1st reading/single reading
body
EP
docs
url: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/TA-9-2020-0128_EN.html title: T9-0128/2020
procedure/dossier_of_the_committee
  • TRAN/9/02873
procedure/stage_reached
Old
Preparatory phase in Parliament
New
Awaiting Council 1st reading position / budgetary conciliation convocation
procedure/legal_basis/0
Rules of Procedure EP 163
otherinst
  • name: European Economic and Social Committee
  • name: European Committee of the Regions
procedure/other_consulted_institutions
European Economic and Social Committee European Committee of the Regions
events/0/summary
  • PURPOSE: to enable managing bodies or competent authorities to provide flexibility in respect of the levying of port infrastructure charges in the context of the COVID-19 outbreak.
  • PROPOSED ACT: Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council.
  • ROLE OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT: the European Parliament decides in accordance with the ordinary legislative procedure on an equal footing with the Council.
  • BACKGROUND: the outbreak of COVID-19 is having a serious impact on maritime transport and on the financial sustainability of operators and is likely to continue to have an impact throughout 2020.
  • Regulation (EU) 2017/352
  • of the European Parliament and of the Council requires Member States to ensure that port infrastructure charges are levied by a managing body of a port or by a competent authority. There is no exception from this obligation to levy charges, not even in exceptional circumstances.
  • However, in view of the consequences of the COVID-19 outbreak, it is appropriate to allow Member States to provide the managing bodies of a port or the competent authorities with the possibility to waive, suspend, reduce or defer the payment of port infrastructure charges due for the period from 1 March 2020 to 31 December 2020.
  • CONTENT: the Commission therefore proposes to amend Regulation (EU) 2017/352 which establishes a framework for the provision of port services and common rules on the financial transparency of ports.
  • It is proposed that the new transitional provision shall provide Member States with the option to allow managing bodies of a port or competent authorities to decide whether to:
  • waive (condone, i.e. not require the payment at all); or suspend (freeze or put on hold the payment for a certain time period); or reduce (decrease the payment); or defer (require the payment at a later point in time) the payment of the port infrastructure charges.
  • As the duration of the impact on maritime transport of the outbreak of COVID-19 is uncertain and in order to allow for sufficient flexibility for the sector, the new transitional provision shall apply to port infrastructure charges due for the period between 1 March 2020 and 31 December 2020.
  • This new provision also stipulates that the managing body of a port or the competent authority shall ensure that port users and the representatives or associations of port users are informed accordingly. The time limit of two months referred to in Regulation (EU) 2017/352 shall not apply.