COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES 
Brussels, 21.10.1996 
COM(96) 516 final 
95/0121 (SYN) 
95/0122 (SYN) 
95/0123 (SYN) 
OPINION OF THE COMMISSION 
on the amendments proposed by the European Parliament 
to the Council's common position on the 
proposals for 
a Council Directive on the systems of chartering and pricing in national and 
international inland waterway transport in the Community; 
a Council Regulation (EC) amending Council Regulation (EEC) No 1101/89 on 
structural improvements in inland waterway transport; 
a Council Regulation (EC) amending Council Regulation (EEC) No 1107/70 on 
the granting of aids for transport by rail, road and inland waterway. 
(presented by the Commission pursuant to Article 189 c (d) of the EC Treaty) 

OPINION OF THE COMMISSION 
on the amendments proposed by the European Parliament 
to the Council's common position on the 
proposals for 
a Council Directive on the systems of chartering and pricing in national and 
international inland waterway transport in the Community; 
a Council Regulation (EC) amending Council Regulation (EEC) No 1101/89 on 
structural improvements in inland waterway transport; 
a Council Regulation (EC) amending Council Regulation (EEC) No 1107/70 on 
the granting of aids for transport by rail, road and inland waterway. 
On 17 September 1996 Parliament proposed amendments to the common position, 
relating to the abovementioned proposals, which the Council adopted on 27 June 1996. 
The two amendments are given in annex. 
Pursuant to Article 189c(d) of the EC Treaty, the Commission has re-examined its 
proposal, and has decided not to accept these amendments for the following reasons: 
It is unable to accept the first amendment (introducing a new recital concerning 
accompanying social measures for carriers which cease their activity) because it exceeds 
the scope of the proposal. Moreover, Article 9 of Council Regulation (EEC) 
No 1101/89 already provides for such measures to be adopted by the Member States. 
Regarding the second amendment, the Commission notes that it concerns the financial 
statement which accompanies the proposal rather than the proposal itself. Furthermore, 
the detailed arrangements for financing the scrapping of tankers are already laid down 
by Commission Regulation (EEC) No 1102/89. 
The Commission took this same position on the amendments proposed by Parliament at 
first reading. 
Accordingly, the Commission confirms its agreement with the Council's common 
position of 27 June 1996. 
Enc: 2 amendments 
EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT 
1996 - 1997 SESSION 
Decision of the European Parliament on the common position established by the 
Council with a view to the adoption of the Council Directive on the systems of 
chartering and pricing in in national and international inTahd~~~waterway 
transport in the Community (A4-0252/96 - C4-0367/96) . 
EXTRACT 
FROM THE MINUTES 
OF THE SITTING OF 
17 September 1996 
PE 166.298 
3 
Decision on the ccnunon position adopted by the Council with a view to 
adopting a Council Directive on the systems of chartering and pricing in 
national and international inland waterway transport in the Community (C4-
0367/96 - 95/0121(3YN)) 
(Cooperation procedure: second reading) 
The European Parliament. 
having regard to the ooinmon position of the Council, C4-0367/96 -
95/0121(SYN), 
having regard to i;s opinion at first reading1 on the Commission proposal 
to the Council, COM(95)01992, 
having regard to the amended Commission proposal, COM(96)f1823, 
having been consulted by the Council pursuant to Article 189c of the EC 
Treaty, 
having regard to Rule 67 of its Rules of Procedure, 
having regard to the recommendation for second reading of-the«Committee on 
Transport and Tourism (A4-0252/96), 
1. Amends the common position as follows; 
2. Instructs its President to forward this decision to the Council and 
Commission. 
Common position of the Council Amendments by Parliament 
(Amendment 2) 
Recital 3a (new) 
Whereas the Member states adopt 
accompanying social measures to 
assist carriers whc close down their 
businesses: 
1 OJ C 65, 4.3.1996, p. 26. 
2 OJ C 318, 29.11.1995, p. 8. p Ç \ f> fi 2 9 8 
3 OJ C 177, 20.6.1996, p. 5. 
^ 
EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT 
1996 - 1997 SESSION 
Decision of the European Parliament on the common position established by the 
Council with a view to the adoption of (EC) amending Council Regulation (EEC) 
1101/89 on structural improvements in inland waterway transport T?*4~0252/96 -
C4-0366/96). 
EXTRACT 
FROM THE MINUTES 
OF THE SITTING OF 
PE 166.297 
Transport by rail, road and inland waterway **II 
A4-0252/96 
Decision on the common position adopted by the Council with a view to 
adopting a Council Regulation amending Council Regulation (EEC) No 1101/89 
on structural improvements in inland waterway transport (C4-0366/96 -
95/0122(SYN)) 
(Cooperation procedure: second reading) 
The European Parliament. 
having regard to the common position of the CounciJ, C4-0366/96 -
95/0122(SYN), 
having regard to its opinion at first reading1 on the Commission proposal 
to the Council, COM(95)01992, 
having regard to the amended Commission proposal, COM(96)01823, 
having been consulted by the Council pursuant to Article 189c of the EC 
Treaty, ^ ^ 
having regard to Rule 67 of its Rules of Procedure, 
having regard to the recommendation for second reading of the Committee on 
Transport and Tourism (A4-0252/96), 
1. Amends the common position as follows; 
2. Instructs its President to forward this decision to the Council and 
Commission. 
Common position of the Council Amendments by Parliament 
(Amendment 1 ) 
Financial Statement 
4. DESCRIPTION OF MEASURE 
4.1 second and third paragraphs (new) 
1 OJ C 65, 4.3.1996, p. 30. 
2 OJ C 318, 29.11.1995, p. 11-
3 OJ C 177, 20.6.1996, p. 6. PE166297 
4> 
In the preceding paragraph and in jhe 
remainder of this Financial Statement 
H is assumed that—the structural 
over-capacitv of tonnace, both in the 
drv-caroo sector and in the tanker 
sector, is approximately 15%. For 
flry cargo this figure js accurate, 
but developments in tanker transport 
indicate that here over-capacitv is 
at least 20%. In order to improve 
rapidly the situation of serious 
market disturbance there, an extra 
scrapping system should be. 
implemented in the tanker sector in 
addition to- the abovementioned 
objective: the additional system 
should remove at least an extra 10% 
of capacity from the jnarket in the 
first year. 
Each of the Member States concerned 
will set UP a separate scrapping fund 
for the purpose. The Member States 
will provide anticii^ato»«^ -financing 
for these funds in proportion to the 
size of their tanker fleets in the 
form of interest-free loans. The 
funds, which should operate on a 
basis of joint and several liability, 
will repay the loans, drawing on the 
annual contributions to be paid bv 
carriers. The present contributions 
will therefore have tc. bo increased. 
In this way a more rapid and a 
substantial extra reduction in the 
tanker fleet will be made possible. 
PF166297 

ISSN 0254-1475 
COM(96) 516 final 
DOCUMENTS 
EN 07 01 
Catalogue number : CB-CO-96-521-EN-C 
ISBN 92-78-10345-4 
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