The Port of Rotterdam aims to become an international frontrunner in the decarbonization of maritime transport and has the ambition to improve the efficiency of port services and stimulate sustainable maritime shipping through facilitating the most promising digital innovations. Therefore, we are committed to making transport flows more sustainable and efficient, alongside the removal of bottlenecks in infrastructure. The Port of Rotterdam welcomes the European Commission’s proposal for the Connecting Europe Facility II (CEF II) for the period 2021-2027.

The Port of Rotterdam welcomes the proposed budget of €42.3 billion. We strongly support synergy between transport, energy and digital infrastructure in order to accelerate the decarbonisation and digitalization of the EU’s economy. We acknowledge the goal of CEF II to pursue the EU’s climate targets, but we would like to stress this should not go at the expense of the primary objectives of the CEF II – i.e. promoting growth, jobs and competitiveness through targeted infrastructure investment – in the already modest budget. Ports are strategic assets for the stimulation of the primary objectives but received only 4% of the available EU funding in the period of 2014-2017. We would like to build on the study conducted by ESPO, “The infrastructure investment needs and financing challenge of European ports”, by pointing out the following reservations with regards to the CEF II proposal.

Maintenance of 60-40 ratio in the proposed transport budget
Clarity on dual-use of civilian and military transport projects
Broader definition of cross-border dimension
Simplified and clearer procedures on obtaining and extending the status of Project of Common Interest (PCI)
Careful application of “use it or lose it” policy