The European Commission's Transport, Telecommunications and Energy Council (TTE) has reached a "general approach" on rules establishing a European Maritime Single Window (EMSW).
The proposal will increase efficiency by ensuring reporting procedures are the same for all port calls, it said.
"The entire logistic chain will benefit from the adoption of common standards, facilitation of data sharing and more efficient flow of information. Besides that, the EMSW will also increase competitiveness of the maritime sector," it added.
Commissioner for transport Violeta Bulc said: "The compromise text is in line with the main objectives of our proposal and will, no doubt, represent a big step towards reducing the administrative burden, and modernising the shipping sector.
"I am now very confident that an agreement with the European Parliament will be reached soon, before the end of its mandate."
In 2016, the EU found that paper reporting is still used to a certain extent in more than 50% of ports, often as duplication, and that reporting is fully digitalised and harmonised in just a few EU countries.
TTE has also agreed a general approach on minimum training of seafarers.
It wanted to align legislation with the latest amendments to the IMO's framework on the minimum standards, as well as allowing seafarers educated abroad to work on-board the EU-flagged fleet.
