To the Informal Ministerial Council of the European Union on Maritime Affairs, which took place in Lekosia, was attended by the Minister of Maritime Affairs and Insular Policy, Vassilis Kikilias.
During the Council’s proceedings, Mr Kikilias highlighted the importance of strengthening maritime professions, noting that the well-being of seafarers is a vital pillar of the maritime industry and is directly linked to the competitiveness of Europe. At the same time, he presented Greece’s best practices in the field of maritime education, emphasizing the increase of the relevant budget to €250 million for the period 2021-2027, an increase of €90 million compared to the previous programming period.
In addition, he stressed the need for realism towards European policies and the way they are shaped at the international level, referring to the discussions taking place at the International Maritime Organization (IMO) on the unfragmentation of shipping.
Specifically, he said that “we cannot talk about full fossil fuel independence in 2050 when the average European family is now faced with inflation, punctuality and an energy crisis”, noting that the alternative fuels currently available cover only 0.5% of global demand.
He said policies that do not take into account the realities of the market and society have adverse consequences and if there is such a burden on shipping, it will be passed on to the economies of nations, causing huge inflation, an increase in energy and goods prices and a significant burden on the daily lives of citizens.
In the margins of the proceedings, the Minister held a bilateral meeting with the French Minister of Transport, Philippe Tabarot, during which both sides underlined the extremely positive impact of the recent visit of the President of the French Republic, Emmanuel Macron, to Greece, which demonstrates the depth of the strategic relationship between the two countries, while he also extended an invitation to his French counterpart to visit Greece in June, on the occasion of the International Maritime Exhibition “Posidonia 2026”.
Following this, the Minister had a meeting with the Lithuanian Minister of Transport, Juras Taminskas, on European cooperation and coordination issues, in view of the rotating Presidency of the Council of the European Union, which Greece will assume in the second half of 2027, immediately after Lithuania.
