Newsletters

Recent data from Sea Intelligence reveals a notable improvement in global liner schedule reliability, reaching its highest level in 17 months. According to April figures, overall reliability stood at 58.7%, the best performance since November 2023.

CLECAT welcomes the outcome of the recent EU–UK Summit held on 19 May 2025 and the accompanying joint statements outlining a renewed agenda for cooperation. These developments signal a long-awaited shift towards practical and pragmatic collaboration in key areas affecting customs, logistics and trade facilitation.

The European Commission has signalled a renewed effort to address the customs-related challenges of the fast-growing e-commerce sector. Speaking before the European Parliament last week, Trade Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič floated the idea of introducing an EU-wide e-commerce handling fee.

On 13 May, a coalition of European and national rail freight associations issued a joint letter to Germany’s new Federal Minister for Transport, Patrick Schnieder, voicing serious concerns over the deteriorating quality and management of the country’s rail network.

The European Parliament has voted in favour of the European Commission’s proposed simplifications to the EU Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), part of the broader “Omnibus I” package presented in February 2025.

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.