In response to the growing trade flows from Ukraine following Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine the European Commission has given the green light to a €126 million state aid scheme designed to bolster Romanian ports. The initiative, effective until December 31, 2024, aims to fortify trade connections between Romania and Ukraine, aligning with the EU’s Solidarity Lanes action plan.
The aid, allocated in the form of grants and partially financed by EU cohesion funds, prioritizes logistics companies operating within Romanian inland and maritime ports along the EU’s eastern border. Key beneficiaries include Constanța, Galați, and Giurgiu, as well as critical waterways like the Danube-Black Sea Canal and the Sulina Canal. “Satellite” ports such as Constanta-Midia and Mangalia are also slated for assistance.
The EU-approved scheme focuses on addressing bottlenecks created by the sudden influx of goods arriving at Danube and Black Sea coast ports. The aid supports port operators in processing and storing queued goods, thereby mitigating the blockade resulting from the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine, said Margrethe Vestager, Executive Vice-President at the European Commission, in charge of competition policy.
You can find the statement from the EU Commission here.
