Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the proposed European Union port services regulation.

The Regulation as initially proposed by the European Commission in May 2013 was ill-suited to the UK’s thoroughly competitive ports industry and in that form would impose unacceptable regulatory burdens. Very significant improvements were, however, secured by the UK, working with other Member States, in the Council General Approach agreed in October 2014. The matter is now under consideration in the European Parliament. The Government will continue to scrutinize proposed amendments very carefully with a view to ensuring that UK trade, ports and shipping interests are not damaged by this legislation.