All news & events

On 27 October, CLECAT and the European Express Association (EEA) issued a joint statement to MEPs participating in the inter-institutional negotiations on CBAM, calling for a careful consideration of the consequences of the instrument with respect to the multistakeholder setting on which it is founded. In particular, the EEA and CLECAT stressed the importance of avoiding the creation of disproportionate responsibilities and liabilities for European customs representatives.

CLECAT, ESC and ELA are pleased to invite you to the Logistics for Europe event taking place on the 23rd of November 2022 at the Residence Palace in Brussels. The 2022 Logistics for Europe event brings industry representatives from freight forwarding, shippers and the logistics sector, as well as European law makers, together in a constructive dialogue on the challenges European industry is being faced with. The event will address the growing pressure on trade to keep cargo moving in a sustainable and efficient way at times of the energy crisis. In addition, the event will discuss the changes that have occurred in the container shipping market in recent years, and how changes to the competition rules can restore trust and confidence in the container shipping industry, which is vital to the European business and consumers Confirmed speakers include Steven Pope, Group Head Trade Facilitation (Go Trade) at Deutsche Post DHL Group, Koen De Leus, Chief Economist, BNP Paribas Fortis, Danielle Tap, Director of Partner Programs, Digital Container Shipping Association, DCSA, Steven Gudde, Director Impact and Labour market, Olympia, Alessandro Pitto, Managing Director at Casasco & Nardi, Szymon Oscislowski, Deputy Head of Unit, DG MOVE, Olaf Merk, ITF, Henrik Morch, Director of Services, DG COMP and others. For further details and registration see the CLECAT website

In a plenary debate with Commission Vice-President Schinas which took place on 18 October, Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) called for more EU ambition in cybersecurity and in protecting critical infrastructure.

In response to cyber-attacks and a series of threats to information and communication technologies (ICT) supply chains, Member States on 17 October approved Council conclusions contributing to enhanced security of the EU’s ICT assets. The call for action was driven by the current geopolitical circumstances, the damaging nature of supply chain attacks and the ever-increasing dependence of society on digital technologies. The call aims at strengthening ICT supply chain security, and is also a first step to address threats of unwanted strategic dependencies in ICT supply chains.

On 19 October, the European Commission approved a €24.3 million Austrian scheme to support the rail freight sector in the context of the coronavirus pandemic. This measure prolongs an existing aid scheme for the provision of rail freight services that was initially approved by the Commission in July 2012 and subsequently prolonged and amended several times, most recently in May 2022.

On 21 October, the European Commission together with the European Investment Bank (EIB) launched a feasibility study to assess how to better connect the Ukrainian and Moldovan railway networks with the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T). This study should function as a key step in preparing for better EU–Ukraine and Moldova connectivity after the war.

On 20 October, the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) published its report ‘How has Brexit changed EU-UK trade flows?’, which estimates how Brexit has affected goods trade between the EU and the UK. Using product-level trade flows between the EU and all other countries in the world as a comparison group, the report finds that Brexit has caused UK-EU trade flows to fall by 16%, while EU-UK trade has dropped 20%.

On 20 October, CLECAT attended the 61st plenary meeting of the Trade Contact Group (TCG), which provides a platform for consultation between DG TAXUD and representatives from the private sector on developments in customs and trade. The meeting was attended by DG TAXUD’s Director General Gerassimos Thomas, who held an exchange of views with the trade community on the ongoing reform of the Customs Union.