The European Commission has just launched a new initiative to improve port operations and onward transport connections at 3196 key seaports along Europe's coastline. This initiative includes on one hand a communication that reviews the European port policy and announces eight Commission actions and, on the other hand, a focused legislative proposal in order to introduce the new legal provisions required to deliver the policy and objectives ("Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing a framework on market access to port services and financial transparency of ports" (COM(2013)296)) (see here)

The CoR Subsidiarity Steering Group has recently decided that this legislative initiative, for which a CoR opinion is being prepared through the COTER Commission (rapporteur: Alessandro Cosimi, IT/PES), would replace the upcoming and related initiative on a "Blue belt for a single market for maritime transport" (which is part of the eight Commission actions mentioned above) as one of the five priorities identified in the CoR Subsidiarity Work Programme for 2013.

This special consultation is organised during the Early Warning System (EWS) 8-week period. Through its REGPEX website, the CoR will facilitate exchange of information between regions with legislative powers that may be consulted by their national Parliaments in the context of the EWS procedure. It will also liaise with the CoR rapporteur and make sure that observations from the regions and other SMN partners will be drawn to his attention. Eventually, it will analyse and summarise contributions in a report that will be forwarded to the European Commission.