Newsletters

CLECAT MODAL INSTITUTES MEET ON EU FREIGHT POLICY

Prior to the summer break, CLECAT’s Rail, Road and Maritime Institutes convened in July to address several pressing EU policy developments requiring member input and positioning. Key topics included military mobility, the upcoming EU Port Strategy, road freight transport decarbonisation and ongoing digitalisation initiatives across all modes.

CLECAT CONTRIBUTES TO STRATEGIC DIALOGUE ON PORTS STRATEGY

On 1st July, Dimitri Sérafimoff, CLECAT President, took part in the high level strategic dialogue with Commissioner Apostolos Tzitzikostas, alongside other key European stakeholders, to discuss the future EU Ports Strategy. Emphasising the critical role of ports as central nodes in the logistics network, he emphasised the need for open and fair access to port services, seamless hinterland connections, and a policy framework that champions digitalisation and sustainability.

POLISH PRESIDENCY EVENT ON EU CUSTOMS REFORM

On 10 July, CLECAT participated in an event hosted by the Permanent Representation of Poland in Brussels, titled “Taking Customs Union Reform to the Next Level – What to Expect from the New Union Customs Code?” The event was chaired by Małgorzata Krok, Undersecretary of State and Deputy Head of the Polish National Revenue Administration, and gathered senior officials including Mr Matthias Petschke, Director at DG TAXUD, several Directors General of Customs from Member States, Customs Attachés, and trade association representatives.

CLECAT JOINS DIALOGUE ON RULES OF ORIGIN WITH COMMISSIONER ŠEFČOVIČ

On 11 July, CLECAT participated in the Implementation Dialogue on the Rules of Origin with Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič. The meeting brought together stakeholders to provide input from their sectoral perspectives and advise the Commission on possible solutions to the issues identified.

COMMISSION PLANS CBAM EXPORT REBATES AND SCOPE EXPANSION

The European Commission has announced its intention to propose new measures to mitigate the risk of carbon leakage for EU exporters under the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM). The forthcoming proposal, expected by the end of 2025, would introduce a system to refund part of the carbon costs borne by EU producers when exporting goods covered by CBAM, such as steel, aluminium, cement, fertilisers, electricity, and hydrogen. The mechanism would be funded by revenues generated from CBAM itself.

SECOND EU-TURKEY HIGH-LEVEL TRADE DIALOGUE ADVANCES CUSTOMS UNION IMPLEMENTATION

The second meeting of the EU-Turkey High-Level Dialogue on Trade took place in Ankara on 1 July, bringing together Minister Ömer Bolat and Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič. The Dialogue continues to serve as a vital forum for advancing the implementation of the EU-Türkiye Customs Union and guiding future cooperation.

EU ALLOCATES OVER €91 MILLION FOR SSTPA PROJECTS

On 3 July, the European Commission announced the results of the 2025 Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) Transport call, awarding nearly €2.8 billion to 94 transport projects across the trans-European transport network (TEN-T). A key focus of this year’s funding round is the development of Safe and Secure Truck Parking Areas (SSTPAs) for road freight transport, with over €91 million allocated to such projects.

EP AND COUNCIL START TRILOGUES ON COUNTEMISSIONS EU

Negotiators form the Parliament and Council met on 2 July for the first time on CountEmissions EU, the proposal on setting up a harmonised framework for the calculation and reporting of GHG emissions from transport services. CLECAT welcomes the Danish Presidency’s commitment to strike a deal with the Parliament to finally provide the tools enabling transport operators to accurately calculate, monitor and compare their emissions, facilitating behavioural change.

ENVI AND IMCO COMMITTEES ADOPT POSITION ON END-OF-LIFE VEHICLE REGULATION

On 7 July, the Environment (ENVI) and Internal Market (IMCO) Committees of the European Parliament adopted their joint report on the proposal for a Regulation on circularity requirements for vehicle design and on management of end-of-life vehicles (ELVs). The proposal, on which the Council adopted its position at the end of June, requires that new vehicles be designed to support reuse, recycling, and recovery.

AIR CARGO DEMAND CONTINUES TO RISE DESPITE TRADE DISRUPTIONS

On 30 June, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) released its latest data on global air cargo markets, reporting a growth in demand despite trade disruptions.

CLECAT Meetings and participation in events

CLECAT Customs and Indirect Taxation Institute
17 September, Online

CLECAT Board
17 October, Online

CLECAT General Assembly
13 November, Brussels

Logistics for Europe
13 November, Brussels

EU Meetings

European Parliament

European Parliament Environment Committee
14-15 July, Brussels

European Parliament Transport Committee
16 July, Brussels

European Parliament Plenary
8-11 September, Strasbourg

Council of the EU

Transport Council
4 December, Brussels

Environment Council
16 December, Brussels