Newsletters

TRADE CALL FOR COORDINATION ON CUSTOMS-ENFORCED EU LEGISLATION

CLECAT, together with AmCham EU, CER, CONFIAD, EEA, EuroCommerce, ESC and EurTradeNet has submitted proposal to the European Commission calling for the establishment of a Horizontal Coordination Working Group on Sectoral Legislation controlled by Customs at EU Borders, to operate under the DG TAXUD and with its Trade Contact Group (TCG).

JOINT INDUSTRY POSITION PAPER ON THE COMBINED TRANSPORT DIRECTIVE

On 15 April, six organisations - including Cefic, BusinessEurope, CLECAT, ECTA - European Chemical Transport Association, European Shippers' Council, and UIRR – issued a joint statement calling for a well-functioning Combined Transport framework. To ensure that the EU does not lose momentum on multimodal freight transport the associations jointly demand:

CLECAT WELCOMES DRAFT EP REPORT ON FUTURE CONNECTING EUROPE FACILITY

The European Parliament has begun its work on the future Connecting Europe Facility (CEF III) for the 2028–2034 period, with a draft report by co-rapporteurs MEP Oihane Agirregoitia Martínez (TRAN) and MEP Kamila Gasiuk-Pihowicz (ITRE).

SMART FREIGHT WEEK 2026: SCALING COLLABORATION FOR GREENER LOGISTICS

This week CLECAT joined Smart Freight Week in Amsterdam, one of the key global gatherings for sustainable logistics. Bringing together more than 1,000 participants from across the supply chain, the event once again demonstrated the strength of collaboration across industry, policy, and innovation communities.

COMMISSION REVIEWS BIOFUEL RULES

The European Commission has taken a further step in implementing its renewable energy policy with the adoption, on 13 April, of a delegated regulation revising the criteria for identifying biofuels associated with a high risk of indirect land-use change (ILUC).

POLICY DEBATE AT MILENCE CLEAN TRANSPORT EVENT

CLECAT joined a policy debate hosted by Milence in Brussels, set against the backdrop of the “Power to Go Further Tour” — a 1,000 km journey from Paris to Berlin using battery-electric heavy-duty trucks.

HORMUZ STRAIT REOPENS AMID CEASEFIRE, BUT UNCERTAINTY PERSISTS FOR SHIPPING

Developments in the Gulf region have introduced cautious optimism for global shipping, as Iran has announced the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz to all commercial vessels during the current ceasefire period.

GLOBAL DIVIDE DEEPENS AS U.S. OPPOSES IMO ZET-ZERO MARITIME NETWORK

After manoeuvring to derail the adoption of the maritime decarbonisation framework at the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) last October, Washington remains “strongly opposed” to any instrument that would accompany a phase-out of fossil fuels and allow an international body to raise revenues - an element included in the agreement initially under discussion at the IMO.

LIFE FIT PROJECT BOOSTS INTERMODAL RAIL AND ATTRACTS €12.5 MILLION INVESTMENT

On 14 April, the European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency (CINEA) published results of the LIFE Facilitating Intermodal Transport (LIFE FIT) project, which aims to support modal shift from road to rail through digital solutions.

TRAN COMMITTEE DEBATES RAIL FREIGHT CORRIDORS THROUGH SWITZERLAND

Following the accident in the Gotthard Base Tunnel in 2023 in September 2025, Switzerland adopted unilateral measures affecting rail freight traffic crossing its territory.

IMCO COMMITTEE ENDORSES UCC REFORM: EU CUSTOMS OVERHAUL MOVES CLOSER TO FINAL ADOPTION

On 16 April 2026, the European Parliament's Internal Market and Consumer Protection (IMCO) Committee formally endorsed the provisional political agreement on the reform of the Union Customs Code (UCC), marking a significant step forward in the most comprehensive overhaul of EU customs rules in a generation.

COMMISSION WARNS OF POTENTIAL AVIATION FUEL SUPPLY CONSTRAINTS

On 14 April, the European Commission indicated that while there are currently no signs of fuel shortages in the EU, supply constraints could emerge in the near future, particularly with regard to aviation fuels.

CLECAT Meetings and participation in events

International Transport Forum
6-8 May, Leipzig

Region Europe Meeting FIATA
18-19 May, Bucharest

Med Ports 2026
20-21 May, Marseille

CLECAT General Assembly
16 June, (place tbc)

Customs and Indirect Taxation Institute meeting
17 June, Brussels and online

Connecting Europe Days
28 September-1 October, Brussels

EU Meetings

European Parliament

European Parliament Environment Committee
4-5 May, Brussels

European Parliament Transport Committee
5 May, Brussels

European Parliament Internal Market Committee
6-7 May, Brussels

European Parliament Plenary
27-30 April, Strasbourg

Council of the EU

Informal meeting of Transport Ministers
28-29 April, Lefkosia

Environment Council
25 June, Brussels