All news & events

The Loadstar reported this week that congestion in European ports has continued to worsen, with workforce constraints exceeding forecasts in Bremerhaven, leaving stakeholders with very limited options. Jannik Amstutz, senior manager of ocean freight at Flexport, noted that ports are experiencing an average of five to six days of congestion, depending on the destination. The situation is exacerbated by low Rhine water levels due to insufficient rainfall, which limits the use of barges, particularly from Antwerp and Rotterdam.

On 20 May, negotiators from the European Parliament and the Council reached a provisional agreement to update the mandate of the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA). This agreement aims to better equip EMSA to handle current and future maritime challenges, including cybersecurity, hybrid threats, and the greening and digitalisation of the maritime sector.

The Polish Presidency has recently resumed negotiations in the Council on the revision of the Weights and Dimensions Directive. While reaching a general approach before the end of June seems unlikely, it sends the right signal to finally address pressing issues for the European road freight transport sector.

On 21 May, the European Commission published a new Single Market Strategy, setting out a roadmap to create a simpler, more seamless and stronger internal market. The strategy proposes a series of actions to address existing barriers to intra-EU trade and investment, support the scaling up of SMEs, and promote digitalisation.

On 22 May, CLECAT submitted its response to the public consultation on the evaluation of the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF). This EU funding instrument has been key in building a robust and interconnected European transport sector, which is crucial for a competitive, net-zero, and resilient Europe.

EU finance ministers have reached a political agreement on a new VAT framework for e-commerce imports, aimed at enhancing the Import One-Stop Shop (IOSS). The revised approach seeks to simplify VAT declaration and payment, ease administrative burdens for importers, and strengthen enforcement against VAT fraud.

The European Parliament’s Committee on Transport and Tourism (TRAN) has expressed its opposition to the European Commission’s intention to withdraw its long-standing proposal to reform the slot allocation system at EU airports.

The latest Upply x Ti x IRU European road freight rates index, which was presented in a webinar this week, reveals a notable decline in both contract and spot rates for Q1 2025. Contract rates fell by 2.3 points quarter-on-quarter (q-o-q), while spot rates dropped more sharply by 3.8 points q-o-q.