Commission unveils EU Ports Strategy to strengthen competitiveness, security and sustainability of European ports

Commission unveils EU Ports Strategy to strengthen competitiveness, security and sustainability of European ports

European Commission — 2026-03-04

News from Brussels

The European Commission today adopted the EU Ports Strategy, a comprehensive framework to step up the competitiveness, resilience, security and sustainability of Europe’s ports.

Ports are a cornerstone of the EU economy, handling around 74% of external trade, 3.4 billion tonnes of goods and nearly 395 million passengers annually. They also support more than 423,000 direct jobs. As strategic gateways, ports underpin Europe’s trade, security and clean energy transition, while promoting growth, quality jobs and territorial cohesion for islands, coastal, arctic and outermost regions.

However, as ports evolve into multi-functional industrial hubs, they must expand capacity, decarbonise, digitalise, and reinforce security – simultaneously and at scale.

Bolstering EU ports will secure Europe’s strategic autonomy and critical supply chains, accelerate the clean energy transition and sustain global leadership in waterborne transport – while helping the EU achieve climate neutrality by 2050.

The Strategy puts forward actions focused on five priorities to address the most pressing challenges:

1. Strengthen competitiveness, innovation and digitalisation
   • To improve coherence and coordination, the Commission will develop criteria and guiding principles for EU funding and investments in third-country ports.
   • The Commission will also develop criteria and guidance on foreign ownership and control, focusing on ports identified as strategic dual-use infrastructure.
   • The Commission will support the digital and green transformation by promoting innovation, and scale-up and uptake of innovative technologies.
2. Advance energy transition, sustainability and clean industries
   • The Commission will accelerate permit-granting and provide faster assessment procedures for strategic energy and environmental port projects.
   • The upcoming Electrification Action Plan will support port electrification, access to the grid, and the deployment of clean energy.
   • The Commission will promote partnerships for energy cooperation in and around port areas for sustainable use of energy, including hydrogen.
3. Protect and secure ports
   • The Commission will strengthen port security by updating and revising existing guidance, including on emerging threats, and promote a global level playing field for EU ports security.
   • To fight drug trafficking, building on the work of the European Ports Alliance public-private partnership, the Commission will establish frameworks for third-country port assessments and for background checks for port workers. The Strategy will improve alignment of customs controls across EU ports together with better security protocols worldwide.
   • The Commission will establish a forum for Member States’ cybersecurity and port authorities to exchange best practices, and an EU-wide security risk assessment will be carried out to identify the most pressing cybersecurity risks and appropriate measures to mitigate them.
4. Access to finance and investments
   • Building on existing EU funding instruments, including the Connecting Europe Facility, Cohesion Policy funds and InvestEU, the Commission will support ports with clear and targeted funding principles aimed at improving the coordination and efficiency of EU financing.
   • The Commission will also facilitate access to advisory services and de-risking tools, with particular attention to the needs of small and medium-sized ports.
5. Social cohesion, skills and quality jobs
   • The Strategy recognises the important role of small and medium-sized ports and outlines the specific initiatives on innovation, clean energies, security and connectivity to support these ports.
   • The Commission will support the development of a skilled next-generation workforce across all blue economy sectors through actions under the Blue Generational Renewal Strategy. A new Pact for Skills for the ports sector will focus on upskilling, reskilling and inclusion of workers.
   • The Commission will also prepare guidance on the application of maritime safety legislation to port workers on board ships, as well as on safe handling of alternative fuels in ports.

To ensure effective implementation, the Commission will establish a high-level Maritime Industries and Ports Board, chaired by the responsible Commissioner and EVPs.

Commissioner for Sustainable Transport and Tourism, Apostolos Tzitzikostas, said: "With our EU Ports and Industrial Maritime Strategies, we are equipping Europe’s ports, shipping and shipbuilding sectors to lead the clean energy transition, secure trade and defence, and remain globally competitive. They renew our ambition for European maritime leadership, reinforcing economic security, driving sustainable growth, and supporting quality jobs and territorial cohesion across Europe. Working hand in hand with industry and all relevant stakeholders, we will turn these Strategies into concrete results and anchor Europe as the leading waterborne continent."

Background

Building on the 2013 Ports Policy, the EU is now setting a clear framework for the future of European ports. The EU Ports Strategy brings together existing and new initiatives, simplified procedures, provides guidance on implementing current legislation and offers recommendations to Member States and stakeholders.

The Ports Strategy is adopted together with the EU Industrial Maritime Strategy, boosting Europe’s shipbuilding and shipping industries.

It is one of the priority initiatives featured in the EU Competitiveness Compass, the European Ocean Pact, and PROTECT EU. Commissioner Tzitzikostas held strategic dialogues with key ports stakeholders in July and November 2025, to map their needs and expectations for the EU Ports Strategy.