EU aims at its transport policy to develop interoperability between shortsea shipping, intermodal transportation and efficiency of transportation in general. Promotion of intermodal transportation is included in European Commission White Paper on Transportation. The review of the White Paper was realised in 2006. Growth of the European economy presupposes efficient movement of the goods. A recent estimate is that road transport will grow by up to 60 % by the year 2013. White Paper and its review present measures to restrict the growth of road transport and its negative impacts on the environment. Proceedings have been taken in several areas of freight transportation:

• to make rail freight more efficient, the Commission has presented an Action Plan on towards a rail network giving priority to freight
  
• maritime connections are made more efficient by developing shortsea shipping and motorways of the sea. Motorways of the sea and shortsea shipping can be further enhanced by developing connections with land transport modes.
  
• administrative procedures in shortsea shipping are simplified by the initiative of Common European Maritime Space without Barries.

In addition, the Commission supports Short Sea Promotion Centres and their European Shortsea Network. Another important network in the field of shortsea shipping is the network of Short Sea Shipping Focal Points. The Finnish SSS Focal Point is at the Finnish Ministry of Transport and Communications.