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What are we working for?
Open and unrestricted market access
Open and unrestricted access to global transport markets is an important condition for the Danish merchant fleet. More than 90 per cent of the merchant fleet’s transports are between foreign ports.
In general, the maritime transport sector is characterized by a high degree of openness, which Danish shipping companies know how to use. Danish offensive interests in a World Trade Organization (WTO) maritime agreement consist of a desire to bind the factual openness of the sector to a multilateral agreement. It is potentially possible that a liberalization of the agricultural sector and trade in goods through the WTO negotiations on increased free trade will lead to increased transport by sea. The complicated and protracted process of the WTO negotiations means, however, that the EU bilateral agreement negotiations with third countries become still more important in terms of trade politics.
In the EU and the WTO, the Danish Maritime Authority strives to ensure and extend a liberal shipping policy and to establish mutual understanding and agreements between countries, between groups of countries and at the global level. There are negotiations for the conclusion of new agreements as well as for improvements of existing agreements. Denmark takes an active part in the EU bilateral negotiations with third countries, among other things to ensure that European shipping has access to and a possibility of establishing itself within shipping-related businesses. In general, Denmark has succeeded in acquiring satisfactory provisions on maritime transport in EU negotiations and mandates. It is also the responsibility of the Danish Maritime Authority that Danish ministers’ visits abroad include maritime transport issues, when relevant.
Danish Chairmanship of the Consultative Shipping Group
The strategic purpose of the Danish Maritime Authority’s political work is, among other things, to secure and strengthen the principles of free and open access to the global markets on which the shipping policy is based, such as through the Danish Chairmanship of the Consultative Shipping Group (CSG).
In September 2007, Denmark assumed the Chairmanship and Secretariat function of the CSG, both of which have been handled by the United Kingdom since the establishment of the group in the 1960s.
The CSG, which prior to the Danish Chairmanship consisted of fourteen countries that adhere to the same values and principles of open and unrestricted access to the international shipping markets, was extended by four new participants at the beginning of the Danish Chairmanship, viz. Canada, South Korea, Poland and Singapore.
The main task of the CSG is to monitor and react to discriminatory, restrictive or unilateral measures within the field of shipping politics. Dialogue meetings are also held with the American Administration about shipping-related issues approximately every eighteenth month to exchange views, clarify issues and achieve an increased mutual understanding – but still in a way so that the overall message of open markets and free trade is adhered to.
Denmark strives to continue the positive and informal spirit characteristic of the Group’s work and to effectively use and develop the resources and possibilities available in the expanded group of members.
The measure harmonizes well with the Government’s action plan, “Denmark as Europe’s leading shipping nation”, and also fully with the Offensive Trade Policy Strategy that the Government presented in June 2007.
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