European Community Seaport Policy: Competition or Cooperation

The objective of this paper is to examine the development of Community port policy and analyze how and why certain factors have impeded progress in this sector of the EC. This paper will test the hypothesis that there are major economic, technological and political forces, outside of the EC, which are moving Community ports towards regional cooperation. Further European integration in a variety of fields, including ports and maritime transportation is not only desirable but inevitable. A new port-related organization to promote and direct this cooperative port effort will be proposed. Geographically this paper will focus on the North Sea port region from Le Havre to Hamburg