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Forwarders welcome plans for Maritime Single Window
[ January 11, 2019 // Chris ]The Clecat forwarders organisation along with the European Shippers’ Council have joined forces with other shipping groups to welcome the European Maritime Single Window Environment Regulation, which was adopted by the European Transport and Tourism Committee in January. However, Clecat cautions against the creation of an EU Level Access Point Interface.
Clecat believes that the focus of the report on data harmonization is the right approach and will lead to simplified reporting formalities for ships. However, it is important to ensure that the harmonised interfaces remain technologically neutral so as to ensure that potential new systems are not rapidly outdated by new developments.
Clarification on the connection between Maritime Single Windows and Custom Single Windows is also much appreciated, it adds. Both ship reporting and customs reporting will be undergoing significant changes over the coming years, especially in light of the Union Customs Code work programme, and it is therefore crucial that work on both reporting environments is aligned. This will ensure operators and service providers can plan their investments accordingly.
Clecat also welcomes the fact that existing reporting channels, such as Port Community Systems, will be maintained as reporting channels, as they ensure that reporting formalities can be done in the most efficient manner. It is important that these channels can be maintained and are not needlessly replaced by other interfaces that would limit innovation and cooperation for the private sector and Clecat therefore opposse the creation of an EU Common Access Point Interface. This would go against the Commission approach of creating an interoperable environment and would require significant investments from Member States and the private sector with limited, if any, added value for the entire logistics chain.