Concern over Piraeus exclusion from European Ports Alliance

Established to combat drug trafficking, EPA, was inaugurated in Antwerp by the European Commission in collaboration with the Belgian Presidency last month, with Belgian Interior Minister Annelies Verlinden presiding over the launch.

Ports owned and majority controlled by non-EU member states have been excluded. Cosco Shipping owns 67% of the Pireaus Port Authority, Europe’s fifth largest container port.

While Piraeus is not typically identified as a primary entry point for drugs into Europe, the decision to exclude it from the initiative has sparked skepticism over the EU’s capacity to ensure security at critical infrastructure under foreign ownership.