HomeOrganisationsEuropean UnionEurope’s ports welcome EP’s Budget Committee’s plea for greater funding for transport, energy and dual-use infrastructure within the next MFF
Europe’s ports welcome EP’s Budget Committee’s plea for greater funding for transport, energy and dual-use infrastructure within the next MFF
The European Sea Ports Organisation (ESPO) welcomes the report of the European Parliament’s Budget Committee voted on 23 April, titled Ona revamped long-term budget for the Union in a changing world, by co-rapporteurs Siegfried Mureşan (EPP) and Carla Tavares (S&D). The compromise amendments and the full report can be found here.
The report stresses the need for the next Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) to allocate significantly greater funding to energy and transport, in line with the objective of achieving climate neutrality by 2050. This requires the decarbonisation of the economy through the deployment of clean technologies and the enhancement of energy and transport infrastructure. The Budget MEPS are also asking support for military mobility in the future EU budget, to enhance infrastructure for dual-use—both military and civilian— to strengthen the Union’s defence capabilities.
The Budget Committee finally underlines the importance of ensuring that the MFF is adequately resourced and sustainably financed and recognises that budgetary needs post-2027will be significantly higher than the amounts allocated in the 2021–2027 MFF.
“Europe’s ports are important partners in enhancing energy, economic and geopolitical resilience. This comes with huge investments, which are often high risk and without direct or important return on the investment, even if these investments are key in meeting Europe’s ambitions. It is good to see that the Budget experts in the European Parliament are understanding the importance of both transport and energy investments and funding in the current geo-economic and geopolitical context,” says ESPO’s Secretary General Isabelle Ryckbost.
“We hope that this strong signal from the Parliament is being heard. Transport is the backbone of the internal market and an essential condition for enhancing Europe’s preparedness and resilience”.
Earlier this year, ESPO together with more than 50 other transport organisations sent an open letter to both the Member States and the European Commission, underlining that a strong transport sector is a prerequisite for building a competitive, net-zero and resilient Europe. If Europe is to achieve these objectives, it needs a stronger EU transport budget under the future MFF. The open letter can be found here.
