ESC Secretary Calls for Liberalization of Europe’s Market

ESC Secretary Calls for Liberalization of Europe's Market1The newly appointed Secretary General of the European Shippers’ Council (ESC), Nik Delmeire, called the new European Commission to reduce existing trade barriers in the European Union at ESC’s general assembly meeting held in Brussels on Monday, October 13th.

Delmeire’s said his main goal was to put shippers, who are at the heart of the European supply chain, also at the heart of policy making. To underline this vision, Delmeire made the case for reducing both emissions and trade barriers in order to increase the competitive edge of European trade and industry.

Delmeire said that Green Freight Europe (GFE), industry driven program to support companies in improving the environmental performances of freight transport in Europe, can move European industries toward CO2 neutral freight transport by 2050.
ESC Secretary Calls for Liberalization of Europe's Market

‘A key success will be that the industry demonstrates that it has a plan to deliver this and there is an organization to drive it’, Delmeire stated. ‘Europe can only realize CO2 neutral freight transport if we provide a reporting platform that enables companies to report data in a standardized way and benchmark it in order to stimulate improvements. And there is such a platform, so let’s use it.’

Delmeire added that it is essential that the new European Commission of President Jean-Claude Juncker eliminates red tape within the Union.

The ESC said it wants to see one single European transport market providing the freedom of choice for businesses that contract transport services – which is still not the case.

Also, the European guideline for weights and measures should permit goods vehicles of 44 tons for international transport.

The ESC also wants a joint European reporting center set up for governments and the business community for complaints about the supervision and differences in interpretation of European legislation.

‘If shippers can green Europe’s industries, the Commission can liberalize Europe’s market.’

The ESC will present its plans to new EU Commissioners Šefčovič and Timmermans.

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Press Release, October 15, 2014; Image: wsc