Two years after its official launch, the European Port Community Systems Association (ECPSA) will host a conference focusing on the simplification of port processes and trade facilitation.
What are the key strands of European Union policy relating to port processes? How are they viewed from the differing perspectives of the European Commission and the shipping and ports community? And what is needed next to drive forward trade facilitation within and beyond Europe?
These thorny topics will be tackled in presentations by a series of speakers and in panel discussions at the conference, which takes place on June 11 at the World Customs Organization (WCO) in Brussels.
The in-depth agenda and high-calibre speakers taking part demonstrate the respect and recognition that ECPSA and its members have gained at national, European and international level in a remarkably short time.
The conference will be split into three distinct sessions. In the first, "European Commission Policy and Ambitions," a representative of DG Move will focus on "EU Ports Policy and Simplification of Port Processes" and a representative of DG Taxud will talk about "Customs and the Electronic Exchange of Information – the Current and the Future." The second session, "Trade Viewpoint," will open with a World Customs Organization presentation on "Shipping Lines and their Vision for a Simplified Future." This will be followed by Nicolette van der Jagt, director general of CLECAT (The European Association for Forwarding, Transport, Logistics and Customs Services), who will talk about "Simplified Processes – Challenges and Opportunities," and Txaber Goiri, chairman of the European Sea Ports Organization’s (ESPO) intermodal transport and logistics committee, who will talk about "Port Process Simplification – Challenges and Opportunities."
The final session will focus on "Trade Facilitation" to include a presentation by on "Single Window and Trade Facilitation" and a discussion of "The Customs Dimension" by the WCO.
“The conference program brings together respected names from across European and industry sectors and promises a challenging and interesting exchange of information and views,” said EPCSA secretary general Richard Morton.
