WRITTEN QUESTION E-2769/99

by Bart Staes (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(18 January 2000)

Subject: Inclusion of inland navigation projects in the list of TEN priorities

The problem of mobility is increasing all the time. Our roads are becoming clogged. As a result there is a groundswell of opinion in favour of shifting the transport of more and more goods to the railways or waterways.

A glance at the list of priorities for developing the trans-European networks (TENs) shows that transport by waterways, specifically the use of inland waterways vessels, is only the third or fourth priority. This is very strange, particularly as this form of goods transport is very environmentally compatible, relatively cheap and particularly efficient.

However, inland navigation has a considerable number of infrastructure problems, not least the existence of a lot of bottlenecks and the lack of connections between a number of major ports and their hinterlands.

1. Does the Commission agree that better (infrastructure) support for inland navigation could make a major contribution towards resolving the problem of mobility?

2. Is the Commission prepared to assign greater priority in developing the TENs to removing some of the bottlenecks and constructing a number of new waterways?

3. Is the Commission prepared to consult the European Shippers Organisation?

4. Does the Commission have an overview of the main infrastructural problems in inland navigation? If so, can I have a copy?

Answer given by Mrs de Palacio on behalf of the Commission

(9 March 2000)

The Commission is convinced that inland navigation can make an important contribution to solve mobility problems, where appropriate, by relieving freight transport from congested road and railway lines. It considers inland navigation to be a cost-effective, safe and environmentally sound mode of transport, which has spare infrastructure and vessel capacity.

At Community level, inland waterways are dealt with in the framework of the trans-European transport network (TEN-T). In this context the Parliament and the Council adopted in 1996 Community guidelines for the development of the TEN-T which include the inland waterway network at a European scale (Decision No 1692/96/EC of the Parliament and of the Council of 23 July 1996 on Community guidelines for the development of the trans-European transport network(1)). The guidelines identify also the main bottlenecks and missing links in the inland waterway network. In this respect a considerable number of projects of common interest have been financially assisted over the last years within the framework of the TEN budget. However, it has to be borne in mind that, in accordance with the principle of subsidiarity, the Member States concerned are responsible for the improvement and maintenance of their inland waterways. In addition, Member States, when applying for funding from the European regional development fund (ERDF), European investment bank (EIB) or Cohesion fund, are required to improve their transport networks and systems by placing emphasis on connections and interconnections with the TEN-T where these need to be completed.

The Commission is in contact on this subject with all interested parties and organisations and also the European Shipping Organisation.

In 1998 the Commission presented a report on the implementation of the TEN-T guidelines(2). More detailed information concerning the inland waterway network is included in a complementary document by the Commission (SEC(1998) 1993).

(1) OJ L 228, 9.9.1996.

(2) COM(98) 614 final.