EN Official Journal of the European Union CE 88/255

(2004/C 88 E/0260)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0950/04

by Paul Rübig (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(29 March 2004)

Subject: Hindrances to traffic on the River Danube

Because of the low water level in 2003, Austrian transport undertakings using the River Danube were faced with massive additional costs, since, for example, in the Komarno, Dunaujvaros, region, barges, albeit reduced to carrying half-loads, were prevented by the Inland Waterway Police from continuing their journeys.

Furthermore, there were times when it was not possible for the pontoon bridge in Novisad to be opened, with the result that one journey from Linz to Ismael took two and a half months. In some instances, the transport of heavy steel plate had to be transferred to HGVs, and that resulted in significant additional costs for the transport undertakings.

With regard to transport westwards (to Duisburg, Antwerp and Rotterdam, etc.), from June 2003 until mid-January 2004, as happens almost every year, the barges could be loaded to no more than half or even one quarter of their capacity, with the undertakings having to pay low-water supplements which, in some cases, amounted to as much as the initial charge.

The development of the sections of the Danube between Regensburg and Passau and in Hungary and the construction of a bridge at Novisad would significantly increase the attractiveness of the Danube as the most important waterway in Europe. (It is currently carrying no more than about 10 % of its capacity).

What measures is the Commission thinking of taking in order to eliminate the hindrances to traffic on the Danube referred to above and to help bring about the urgently required reduction in transit traffic using the roads?

Answer given by Mrs de Palacio on behalf of the Commission

(30 April 2004)

The Commission White Paper on the European transport policy (1) calls for an integrated approach combining ‘inter alia’ measures to revitalise the rail sector, in particular for freight services, to promote inland waterway shipping and short sea shipping, to encourage greater complementarities between high speed rail and air transport, to promote the development of interoperable intelligent transport systems in order to ensure increased network efficiency and safety.

The Commission proposed in its decision of 1st October 2003 (2), the Rhine-Meuse-Main-Danube corridor as a transeuropean network (TEN) priority project and identified a series of bottlenecks which need to be removed in order to use this transport mode best in the interest of the enlarged Europe. The Commission proposal has been recently agreed upon by Council and the Parliament (Parliament's vote took place on 21st April 2004).

The river Danube area is broadly covered by the Interreg III D Cadses (Central Adriatic Danubian South-Eastern European Space) programme. Interreg is a Community Initiative financed from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). The programme can support projects related to the development of sustainable transport systems along the river Danube by co-operation of the countries in the Danube area.

(1) COM(2001) 370 final.

(2) COM(2003) 564 final.