EUROOPAN YHTEISÖJEN KOMISSIO 
Bryssel, 23.05.1995 
KOM(95) 199 lopull. 
95/0121 (SYN) 
95/0122 (SYN) 
95/0123 (SYN) 
TIEDONANTO 
sisävesiliikenteen markkinoita ja tukitoimenpiteitä koskevasta 
yhteisestä politiikasta 
Ehdotus 
NEUVOSTON DIREKTIIVIKSI 
rahtausta ja maksujen määräämistä koskevista yksityiskohtaisista säännöistä tavaroiden 
kansallisissa tai kansainvälisissä sisävesikuljetuksissa yhteisössä 
Ehdotus 
NEUVOSTON ASETUKSEKSI 
sisävesiliikenteen rakenteellisista parannuksista annetun asetuksen (ETY) N:o 1101/89 
muuttamisesta 
Ehdotus 
NEUVOSTON ASETUKSEKSI 
tuen myöntämisestä rautatie-, maantie-ja sisävesiliikenteeseen annetun asetuksen 
(ETY) N:o 1107/70 muuttamisesta 
(komission esittämät) 

COMMUNICATION 
on a common policy on the organization of the inland waterway transport market 
and supporting measures 
I. INTRODUCTION 
1. When the Council adopted Regulation (EEC) No 3921/91, of 16 December 1991 laying 
down the conditions under which non-resident carriers may transport goods or passengers 
by inland waterway within a Member State (cabotage)(1), it requested the Commission to 
study the position, from the point of view of Community law, of the systems of rotation and 
compulsory tariffs fixed by the state which are in force in Belgium, France and the 
Netherlands and to submit a report to the Council on this subject. In making this analysis, 
the Commission took account of the judgments of the Court of Justice on 17 November 
1993 on the compulsory-tariff arrangements in road haulage in Germany(2). 
2. In the light of the judgments of the Court of Justice, the Commission, in its report to the 
Council on "the organization of the inland waterway transport market systems of chartering 
by rotation,,(3), confirmed the incompatibility of those systems of chartering by rotation 
which are organized by the profession with the rules on competition. However, with regard 
to rotation systems regulated by Member States, national authorities may, subject to certain 
conditions, impose compulsory tariffs and operating conditions in the context of market 
regulation. 
3. However, the question of rotation systems not only has to be considered from the point of 
view of competition law, but also from the overall point of view of the inland waterway 
transport market. As a first step towards the completion of the Single Market in inland 
waterway transport, the carriers of the European Union now have free access to the entire 
market (general cabotage from 01.01.1995) but with the obligation to comply with the 
national regulations in force, including systems of rotation. As a second step, a more 
complete harmonization will be necessary. Indeed, in the long term, there can be no 
justification for the fact that certain shippers, depending on their place of establishment, are 
obliged to conclude contracts according to a rotation system whilst others can benefit from 
a free market as regards tariffs and chartering, as is in fact the case in by the far the greatest 
part of the market. 
4. The report referred to above recommends a global solution by introducing a common 
regime for the entire inland waterway transport market, with progressive liberalization of 
rotation systems in order to improve the operation of the market, accompanied by a parallel 
programme of measures aimed at reducing the structural weaknesses of the sector. 
Moreover, this liberalization should make inland waterway transport more attractive in 
relation to other modes of transport and thus increase the volume of goods transported via 
water. It should be emphasised here that all Member States involved in exporting or 
(i) OJNoL373, 31.12.91, p. 29. 
(2) ECJ cases Ohra, Meng and Reiff. 
(3) SEC(94) 921 final of 9 June 1994. 
importing through North-western Europe have an interest in this sector. Indeed, a large part 
of the European mainland is connected to the seaports of the Union by inland waterway, a 
fact which is particulary important in the market for container transport on the Rhine and 
other North-South axes In this context, it contributes to reducing road congestion in the 
centre of Europe, which is in the interests of all. It is worth recalling that more than one-
third (36%) of intra-Community transport, i.e. transport between Member States, is carried 
via water. 
5. However, the inland waterway transport sector is currently confronted with rather serious 
socio-economic problems. Structural overcapacity and the consequences of the abolition of 
compulsory tariffs in Germany on 1 January 1994 have resulted in a fall in transport prices. 
Consequently, the Commission proposes in its report a common overall approach 
consisting of: 
progressive liberalization of that part of the inland waterway market covered by 
rotation systems. 
accompanying measures which aim: 
to reduce structural overcapacity through a new Community scrapping 
programme, to be undertaken for three years (1996-1998), the co-financing 
methods of which are to be determined and the legal bases of which are 
established by Regulation (EEC) Nol 101/89 of the Council, as last amended by 
Council Regulation (EC) No (4); 
to encourage investment in inland waterway terminals; 
In its resolution of 24 October 1994 the Council gave its support in general terms to the 
measures recommended by the Commission(5). The Council considered that it was 
important to institute a substantial structural reform and requested the Commission to 
submit an overall proposal on inland waterway transport, in particular with regard to the 
future organization of the market and scrapping programmes. 
II. THE PROGRESSIVE LIBERALIZATION OF THE MARKET 
7. Currently, rotation systems are in operation in Belgium, France and the Netherlands and 
also for traffic between these countries (so-called "North-South" traffic) for the 
transportation for hire or reward of dry cargos by inland waterway (the transport of liquid 
cargo is not subject to the rotation sytem). The term "rotation system" refers to a number of 
regulatory measures in the market whereby compulsory freight tariffs are centrally 
established (generally by a public authority), and where the cargo available is distributed 
between the interested carriers according to the principle that the carrier who has been 
waiting longest for a cargo must be the first to be offered cargos as they become available. 
(4) 
(5) OJNoC 309, 5.11.1994, p. 5. 
The rotation systems referred to above are described in more detail in the 
Commission Report to the Council of 9 June 1994, referred to in paragraph 2 above. 
8. This report demonstrates the general reasons why a progressive abolition of these systems 
is required. Moreover, on 12 July 1994 France adopted a law which provides for the 
abolition of the national rotation system by the year 2000. Similarly, on 15 July 1994, the 
authorities of the Netherlands submitted to the Commission a draft law on the rotation 
system in North-South traffic, which also envisages the abolition of the system by 1 
January 2000. The Netherlands draft law and the French law comprise measures which, 
initially, introduce greater flexibility into the rotation systems and, subsequently, prepare 
the carriers concerned for the demands of operating in an open market. 
9. The Commission is of the opinion that the date referred to above of 1 January 2000 allows 
for a suitably adequate transition period to implement the process of liberalization. 
However, in order to improve the operation of the internal market, it is necessary for 
liberalization measures to be adopted on a harmonized basis and in a synchronized manner. 
A proposal for a Council Directive to achieve this objective is therefore appended to this 
communication. Having regard to the principle of subsidiarity, and in order to guarantee 
uniformity while taking account as much as possible of the specific national characteristics 
of the markets concerned, a directive would seem to be the appropriate legislative 
instrument. 
10. In order to ensure the success of the liberalization process, those transport operations 
currently exempt from the obligations of rotation systems should remain so, as should those 
transport operations which cannot be carried out efficiently or effectively under rotation 
systems. With regard to traditional traffic, which will remain subject to compulsory tariffs 
and cargo distribution until 1 January 2000, it is advisable to seek an operating mode which 
meets the logistic needs of shippers. 
11. In order for the liberalization process to progress sufficiently in all the Member States 
concerned during the transition period, it will be necessary to draw up a first assessment 
two years after the entry into force of the directive. From this date, it must be possible not 
only to charter ships for single or multiple voyages (where tariffs and conditions are laid 
down by the public authority) but also to conclude other forms of contract such as 
chartering "over time" or "by tonnage". The conditions of the latter form of contract must 
be freely negotiated between carriers and shippers. 
12. A crisis mechanism will be necessary to ensure that, in the event of a serious disruption of 
the market (for example, an imbalance in the relationship between supply and demand), it 
will be possible to intervene. Consequently, a system of market observation is envisaged 
which will enable any potential problems to be detected in good time. Given that it is 
difficult to influence demand in the transport market, then, in the event of serious 
overcapacity, efforts must be concentrated on limiting the supply of carrying capacity. The 
measures already taken by the Council in Regulation (EEC) No 1101/89 of 27 April 1989 
relating to structural improvements in inland waterway transport could then be either 
continued or widened (see paragraphs 13 to 22). Accompanying measures in the social 
field, enacted at Member State level, may also prove necessary in such cases. 
III. MEASURES TO COMBAT STRUCTURAL OVERCAPACITY 
13. During the past decade, the supply of carrying capacity has, on several occasions and for 
long periods, outstripped demand. The first interventions aimed at re-structuring were 
carried out on the basis of national scrapping programmes. In April 1989, the Council 
decided on a Community approach based on Regulation (EEC) No 1101/89 and since then 
efforts to combat overcapacity through national scrapping funds have taken place within a 
Community framework. In essence, the system works by paying a premium to owners who 
scrap one of their vessels. The introduction of new capacity is conditional on a given 
quantity of old tonnage being scrapped (no premium being paid in this case). To finance 
this programme, all vessel owners pay, according to the size and type of their vessels, an 
annual contribution to their national scrapping fund. More recently, public financial 
resources (coming from the national budgets of the Member States concerned) were also 
placed at the disposal of the scrapping funds (see paragraph 16) as a source of additional 
financing. Switzerland adopted similar measures in 1989 for that part of its fleet which is 
active in the Community market on the Rhine. 
14. During the period between 1 January 1990 and 1 July 1994, 1 457 667 tonnes of capacity 
were scrapped through this method. 486 911 tonnes of new capacity were brought into use, 
with the result that the total loading capacity of the fleet has fallen from 13 188 343 tonnes 
to 12 217 587 tonnes, i.e. a reduction of 8%. The Commission, which is charged with 
managing and coordinating the programme referred to above, draws up a report every six 
months which is intended for the Member States concerned and for the international 
professional organizations. Further details on the scrapping programme can be found in this 
report, and also in the SEC report (92) 1284 from the Commission to the Council and the 
European Parliament concerning "the effects of the structural reform measures in inland 
waterway transport", of 15 July 1992. The latter report notes that the total amount of goods 
transported by the inland waterway fleet remained essentially constant during the period 
1990-1995 (approximately 420 million tonnes per year). This clearly illustrates an 
improvement in productivity, since the demand for transport is being met by a constantly 
decreasing number of vessels. 
15. It can be expected that the trend referred to above will continue for some time. Indeed, 
increases in economies of scale and improvements in productivity are taking place 
throughout the inland waterway sector. Specialized new vessels are needed to cope 
effectively with new trade patterns, such as, for example, container and chemicals transport. 
In the traditional bulk cargo sector (coal, steel, agricultural products, sand, gravels, 
petroleum products), however, there is no question of structural growth. The constant 
improvement of productivity in a stagnant market, therefore, must be offset by the removal 
from service of a large number of older vessels, generally those of lower tonnage. The 
liberalization of the market will also accelerate this process. 
16. The Community programme of restructuring provided for by Council Regulation (EEC) 
No 1101/89 was based on the principle of self-financing by the profession, with interest-
free advance financing provided by the Member States concerned (ECU 105 million), 
which was to be completely refunded by the profession. Commission Regulation (EEC) No 
3690/92 of 21 December 1992(6) allowed for new scrapping actions. The extent to which 
these can be carried out is dependent on the available finance: this finance comes from 
special contributions which have been paid to the national scrapping funds since 1 January 
1993 ("old for new"). By 1994, mostly as a result of the recession of the 1990's, substantial 
overcapacity had reappeared. Consequently, a waiting list of applications for scrapping 
premiums grew up - consisting of several hundred vessels - without the scrapping funds 
having the necessary financial resources to meet the demand. The sector itself was no 
longer able to provide sufficient means, particularly since the original 1990 loan had not yet 
been repaid. In the second half of 1994, therefore, the Member States concerned informed 
the Commission that they were prepared to provide sufficient funds from their national 
budgets to finance all the scrapping requests (approximately 350) which were on the 
waiting list on 30 June 1994. 
The procedures for implementing this action were adopted by the Commission in 
Regulation (EC) No 3039/94 of 14 December 1994 (OJ No L 322, p. 11, of 15 December 
1994). The total budget amounts to ECU 26 716 000. The action began on 1 January 1995 
and will be completed before the end of the year. 
17. However, notwithstanding these actions, the restructuring process is not finished, and even 
after 30 June 1994, requests to the scrapping funds for scrapping premiums have continued. 
In the second half of 1994,156 requests for scrapping were thus recorded, including 136 for 
dry cargo vessels and 20 for tankers. The sum of the scrapping premiums involved for these 
vessels amounts to approximately ECU 15 million. 
18. In this general context, at the initiative of the European Parliament, an amount of 
ECU 5 million has been set aside in the 1995 budget for structural improvements in inland 
waterway transport. However, during the budget discussions - as in its report to the 
Council on 9 June 1994, mentioned above - the Commission continually stressed the need 
for a substantial multiannual structural improvement programme, including in particular 
measures to accompany the ongoing liberalization process. In its Resolution of 24 October 
1994, the Council supported this position. 
19. The Commission recently forwarded to the Council a draft amendment of Regulation 
(EEC) No 1101 /89, which aims primarily to create a clear legal basis for spending the ECU 
5 million referred to above. This proposal also opens up, in principal, the possibility of a 
multiannual contribution by the Community to co-finance a scrapping programme covering 
the period 1996-1998. In the view of the Commission, this co-financing goes together with 
the proposed liberalization of the market. For this reason, a separate proposal based on this 
principle is attached to the present report. 
(6) OJ No L 374, 22.12.1992, p. 22. 
20. The professional organizations of inland waterway carriers at the Community level 
currently estimate structural overcapacity in the dry cargo sector to be 15%. It can be 
assumed that economic recovery will lead to an increase in demand in this sector in the 
coming years. However, this will be absorbed - at least in part - by the constant increase in 
productivity, itself accentuated by the liberalization process. The abolition of the rotation 
system will also lead to those vessels which are incapable of competing in a free market 
being excluded from this sector. 
In the liquid cargo sector, the professional organizations estimated overcapacity to be 
approximately 20%. However this figure appears too high. Indeed, even if the level of 
freight charges remained very low at the beginning of 1995, it is nonetheless true that the 
utilization rate of the tanker fleet was rather high. But, insofar as the tanker fleet will not be 
affected by liberalization measures (the tanker fleet already operates in a completely free 
market, outside rotation sytems), there is no reason to suppose that the need for scrapping 
in this sector should be proportionally higher than in the dry cargo sector. 
In summary, one can say that, in both sectors, overcapacity will probably remain at a level 
of approximately 15% if no restructuring measures are applied. Since the fleet includes 
approximately 10 million tonnes of dry cargo vessels and 2 million tonnes of tanker ships, 
the need for scrapping would amount respectively to 1.5 and 0.3 million tonnes. 
21. On this basis, it is possible to calculate the necessary financing for the 1996-1998 
programme. In addition, one must bear in mind that the scrapping premiums, since they 
were fixed in 1989, require some corrections (on average an increase of approximately 
15%), in particular because of monetary depreciation and the devaluation of the ECU in 
relation to the currencies of those countries with a significant inland waterway transport 
sector. In 1990, a sum of ECU 66.04 million was paid for the scrapping of 8% of the dry 
cargo fleet and ECU 38.36 million for scrapping 13% of the tanker fleet. Scrapping 15% of 
the fleet during 1996-1998 would therefore require ECU 142 million and ECU 50 million 
respectively, i.e. a total of ECU 192 million. 
22. Given the levels and importance of the finance required, a joint effort of all the parties 
concerned (inland waterway transport operators, Member States and the Community) is 
necessary. 
With regard to financing the restructuring actions in inland waterway transport, the 
Council, in its Regulation No 1101/89, followed the principle that responsibility for this 
financing rested initially with the operators of the sector under consideration. The 
Commission considers that it is important to maintain this principle as far as possible. The 
annual contributions of the Community to the 1996-1998 programme must therefore be in 
relation to the financial contributions of the profession. 
The annual contributions paid by the profession (Switzerland not included) up to 
31 December 1994 amounted to approximately ECU 13 370 000. For the years to come, 
these contributions will be of the order of ECU 14 million a year, i.e. ECU 42 million for 
the period 1996-1998. However, approximately ECU 12 million must be deducted from this 
amount, since this must be used to repay the amount of advance finance provided by the 
Member States for the 1990 action. Consequently, there remains ECU 30 million available 
for the new action. If the Community and the Member States concerned can each place at 
the disposal of the scrapping funds half of the remaining amount, i.e. ECU 81 million each, 
to be spread out over 3 years (ECU 27 million a year), the financing of the programme will 
be assured. 
Taking account of the budgetary funds currently available, the Community is already in a 
position to be able to contribute up to ECU 40 million over three years (ECU 20 million 
inl996 and ECU 10 million in 1997 and 1998). The remaining part of the finance needed 
for the scrapping scheme - at least ECU 81 million (half the total contribution of the 
Community and the Member States) and at most ECU 122 million - would be raised from 
the budgets of the Member States concerned, the amount of each contribution being based 
on respective fleet sizes. 
Whatever the case, the annual contribution paid by the Community will not be more than 
double that of the industry. 
23. The scrapping action of 1996 to 1998 will have to be evaluated annually by the 
Commission, in order for it to carry out any modifications necessitated by market trends 
and the liberalization measures which will be implemented. The Commission will 
determine, at the beginning of each year and according to the available funds, the practical 
means by which the scrapping action of the current year will be carried out. 
IV. THE PROMOTION OF INLAND WATERWAY TRANSPORT 
24. Inland waterway transport offers several advantages to society as a whole: it is 
environmentally-friendly, it is particularly safe, it is energy-efficient and it contributes to 
reducing congestion on the overloaded road network of North-western Europe. But these 
general advantages do not play a major role in influencing a shipper's choice of transport 
mode. In fact, it is above all considerations of an economic and financial nature which 
influence the decisions of transport users. 
25. In recent years, organizations for promoting inland waterway transport have emerged in 
several Member States. These aim to inform both shippers and the general public of the 
opportunities and advantages offered by waterway transport. They have met with a certain 
success, but it has proved difficult to persuade transport users to convert to waterways, 
especially when they have no experience of using this mode. Certainly, the tonne/km cost 
of transport by inland waterway is lower, but this advantage is likely to be outweighed by 
higher transshipment costs. Moreover, the often considerable amount of investment needed 
in infrastructure and equipment by the loading company (quays, loading and unloading 
equipment) constitutes an obstacle. 
26 In order to ensure that investments which are desirable from a social point of view are made 
in the development of the inland waterway transport system, it would seem necessary to 
introduce a temporary support scheme for investment in inland waterway ports. Such a 
scheme is contained in the proposal for a Regulation appended. It has a clear parallel with 
the aid scheme for investment in combined transport terminals, introduced earlier by the 
Council (see Article 3, paragraph 1. of Council Regulation (EEC) No 1107/70 relating to 
the granting of aids in the field of transport, as last amended by Regulation (EEC) No 
3578/92 of 7 December 1992). 
27. The proposed scheme takes a comprehensive approach and is aimed at both public and 
private waterway terminals. In all cases, a request for investment aid must be accompanied 
by an assessment of the volume of cargo that the waterway will handle following 
investment. In order to encourage responsible investment, if the new or additional tonnage 
envisaged on the waterway is not achieved, then recipients will have to repay the aid. For 
the same reason, the amount of aid can under no circumstances exceed 50% of total 
investment. Priority has therefore to be given to those investments which will attract the 
highest possible tonnages onto the waterway. 
Member States will be required to report periodically to the Commission on the application 
and impact of this arrangement in order that new initiatives can be developed accordingly. 
V. SUBSIDIARITY 
28. The Community action under consideration in the proposal for a Directive on chartering 
systems and fixed prices in the field of national and international transport of goods by 
inland waterway in the Community can be analysed in terms of subsidiarity by answering 
five fundamental questions: 
(a) What are the objectives of the proposed action in relation to the obligations of the 
Community? 
This action is being proposed as a result of the disparities which exist between 
Member States' legislation concerning the commercial use of inland waterway 
transport, disparities which hinder the proper functioning of the single market in this 
sector. It is therefore appropriate to include in the Community proposal common 
provisions for the inland waterway transport market as a whole, so that the companies 
concerned may enjoy the full benefit of the internal market. The completion of the 
single market, whereby the free movement of goods, persons, services and capital is 
guaranteed, requires that, where the transport of goods by inland waterway is 
concerned, the organization of the systems of chartering by rotation should be adapted 
to allow greater commercial flexibility, in order to establish a regime which allows 
completely free transactions by 1 January 2000. 
(b) Does the proposal for a Directive fall within the exclusive competence of the 
Community or is competence shared with the Member States? 
The proposal is submitted on the basis of Article 75 of the Treaty and therefore falls 
within the exclusive competence of the Community. 
(c) What is the Community dimension of the problem? 
The Member States directly concerned with the liberalization of the market are: 
France, Belgium and the Netherlands. Other countries with an inland waterway 
transport sector have established open markets. 
(d) What methods of action are at the disposal of the Community? 
The Commission is proposing to liberalize that part of the inland waterway transport 
market which is still regulated, by means of a legislative proposal. 
(e) Is a uniform regulation necessary or would a directive be sufficient? 
The adoption of a single and non-discriminatory arrangement requires that measures 
are taken to guarantee a harmonized approach in all the Member States. However, a 
directive, which establishes the general framework and the various stages needed to 
arrive at a completely free market, whilst leaving to the Member States the choice of 
the means, would appear to be the most suitable instrument for achieving the desired 
objective. 
10 
Ehdotus 
NEUVOSTON DIREKTIIVIKSI 95/0121 (SYN) 
rahtausta ja maksujen määräämistä koskevista yksityiskohtaisista säännöistä tavaroiden 
kansallisissa tai kansainvälisissä sisävesikuljetuksissa yhteisössä 
EUROOPAN UNIONIN NEUVOSTO, joka 
ottaa huomioon Euroopan yhteisön perustamissopimuksen ja erityisesti sen 75 artiklan, 
ottaa huomioon komission ehdotuksen0}, 
toimii yhdessä Euroopan parlamentin kanssa(2), 
ottaa huomioon talous-ja sosiaalikomitean lausunnon(3), 
sekä katsoo, että 
maantie- ja rautatieliikenteen ruuhkautumiseen, liikenneturvallisuuteen, ympäristöön, 
energiansäästöön ja kansalaisten elämän laatuun liittyvien koko ajan kasvavien ongelmien 
johdosta on välttämätöntä, että yleisen edun vuoksi sisävesiliikenteen mahdollisuuksia 
hyödynnetään tehokkaammin ja että sitä kehitetään edelleen parantamalla erityisesti sen 
kilpailukykyä, 
ammattimaista sisävesiliikennettä koskevien kansallisten lainsäädäntöjen erilaisuus ei edistä 
mainitulla alalla sisämarkkinoiden moitteetonta toimintaa; sen vuoksi olisi annettava yhteiset 
säännökset yhteisön tasolla koko sisävesiliikenteen markkinoille, niin kuin komissio esitti 
neuvostolle 6 päivänä kesäkuuta 1994 antamassaan kertomuksessa sisävesiliikenteen 
markkinoista ja vuororahtausjärjestelmistä; tämän lähestymistavan neuvosto hyväksyi 
24 päivänä lokakuuta 1994 antamassaan päätöslauselmassa*4*, 
si sämarkkinoidenjoilla tavaroiden, ihmisten, palveluidenj a pääomien vapaa liikkuvuus taataan, 
toteutuminen edellyttää sisävesiliikenteen tavarankuljetuksen osalta vuororahtausjärjestelmien 
mukauttamista taloudellisesti joustavammiksi, jotta vapaaseen liiketoimintajärjestelyyn 
päästäisiin, 
tämän alan ammattien sosiaalis-taloudellisten ominaisuuksien vuoksi olisi säädettävä 
siirtymäkaudesta ja samalla rajoitettava asteittain vuorojärjestelmän soveltamisalaa, kunnes 
päästään järjestelmään, jossa on rahtivapaus ja vapaa maksujen määrääminen, 
tällainen siirtymäkausi on tarpeen, jotta liikenteenharjoittajat voisivat mukautua vapaiden 
markkinoiden edellytyksiin ja tarvittaessa ottaa käyttöön sellaisia kaupallisten ryhmittymien 
muotoja, jotka sopivat paremmin rahtaajien logistisiin tarpeisiin, 
(i) 
(2) 
(3) 
(4) EYVL N:o C 309, 5.11.1994, s. 5 
11 
edellä esitettyjen tavoitteiden kannalta on sekä tarpeen että riittävää vahvistaa yhteisön tasolla 
yhtenäinen aikataulu markkinoiden asteittaiseksi vapauttamiseksi ja jättää kyseinen 
vapauttaminen jäsenvaltioiden vastuulle; tällä tavoin noudatetaan perustamissopimuksen 3 b 
artiklan kolmannen alakohdan määräyksiä, ja 
olisi annettava säännökset, jotka mahdollistavat väliintulon, jos kyseisen liikenteen markkinoilla 
ilmenee vakavia häiriöitä; tässä tarkoituksessa olisi annettava komissiolle oikeus toteuttaa 
asianmukaisia toimenpiteitä yhdessä jäsenvaltioiden kanssa, 
ON ANTANUT TÄMÄN DIREKTIIVIN: 
i ariikla 
Tässä direktiivissä tarkoitetaan: 
a) 'vuororahtausjärjestelmällä' järjestelmää, jossa rahtausmarkkinoilla asiakkailta tulevat 
kuljetustilaukset jaetaan kiinteään hintaan ja yhteisten yleisten edellytysten mukaisesti siinä 
järjestyksessä, jossa alukset ovat käytettävissä lastin purkamisen jälkeen. 
Liikenteenharjoittajia pyydetään vuorojärjestelmään kirjoittautumisensa mukaisessa 
järjestyksessä valitsemaan yksi tarjolla olevista kuljetuksista. Ne, jotka eivät valitse mitään 
tarjolla olevista, säilyttävät kuitenkin kirjoittauturnisjärjestyksen mukaisen sijansa, 
b) 'liikenteenharjoittajalla': 
pienlaivuria, joka omistaayhden tai useamman, enintään kolme, sisävesiliikennealusta, 
varustajaa, joka omistaa enemmän kuin kolme sisävesiliikennealusta, 
sisävesiliikennealuksia omistavien pienlaivurien ryhmittymää tai osuuskuntaa, 
c) 'toimivaltaisella viranomaisella' viranomaista, joka jäsenvaltiossa on vastuussa 
vuororahtausjärjestelmän hallinnoinnista ja järjestämisestä, 
d) 'vakavalla häiriöllä markkinoille' sellaisten kyseisille markkinoille tyypillisten ongelmien 
syntymistä, jotka voivat johtaa vakavaan ja mahdollisesti jatkuvaan ylitarjontaan ja jotka 
uhkaavat vakavasti usean sisävesiliikenteessä toimivan tavaraliikennettä harjoittavan 
yrityksen rahoituksen tasapainoa ja toiminnan jatkamista edellyttäen, että kyseisiä 
markkinoita koskevat lyhyen ja keskipitkän aikavälin ennusteet eivät osoita huomattavia ja 
pysyviä parannuksia. 
2 artikla 
Tavaroiden kansallisissa tai kansainvälisissä sisävesikuljetuksissa yhteisössä asianomaiset 
osapuolet tekevät sopimukset vapaasti ja hinnoista neuvotellaan vapaasti tarvittaessa 
rahtausmarkkinoilla. 
12 
3 artikla 
Poiketen siitä, mitä 2 artiklassa säädetään, jäsenvaltiot voivat säilyttää pakollisten 
vähimmäistariffien järjestelmän sekä vuororahtausjärjestelmät 1 päivään tammikuuta 2000 
saakka edellyttäen, että: 
jäljempänä 4-7 artiklassa lueteltuja yksityiskohtaisia sääntöjä noudatetaan, 
taataan, että kaikilla jäsenvaltioiden liikenteenharjoittajilla on samoin edellytyksin 
mahdollisuus vapaasti käyttää vuororahtaus-ja maksujärjestelmiä. 
4 artikla 
Edellä 3 artiklassa tarkoitetun siirtymäkauden aikana vuororahtausjäijestelmien soveltamisala 
rajoitetaan yleisiin tavaroihin. 
Näiden järjestelmien piiriin eivät kuulu hiilivetyjen, nesteiden ja jauheiden kuljetukset, raskaat 
ja suuret erikoiskuljetukset, konttien kuljetukset, siirtokuljetukset satama-alueilla, mitkään 
omaan lukuun tehtävät kuljetukset eivätkä mitkään sellaiset kuljetukset, jotka eivät nykyisin 
kuulu vuororahtaukseen. 
5 artikla 
Vuororahtausjärjestelmään eivät kuulu sellaiset kuljetukset, jotka voidaan tehokkaasti hoitaa 
muilla järjestelmillä, erityisesti: 
kuljetukset, jotka edellyttävät käsittelylaitteilla varustettujen välineiden käyttöä, 
yhdistetyt kuljetukset, eli eri kuljetusmuotojen väliset yhteiset kuljetukset, jotka tapahtuvat 
pääasiassa sisävesillä ja joiden mahdollisimman lyhyet alku- ja/tai loppuosuudet tapahtuvat 
maanteitse tai rautateitse, 
uudenlajiset kuljetukset, joihin ei sovelleta 4 artiklaa eikä ensimmäistä ja toista 
luetelmakohtaa ja joissa rahtaajat voivat enintään 24 kuukautta kestävänä koeaikana 
vapaasti valita, liittyvätkö he vuororahtaukseen. 
6 artikla 
Edell ä 3 arti kl assa tarkoitetun si i rtymäkauden ai kana j äsenvaltioiden on tehtävä kaikki tarvittava 
vuororahtausjärjestelmän saamiseksi mahdollisimman joustavaksi, erityisesti: 
säätämällä rahtaajien mahdollisuudesta sopia peräkkäisistä merimatkoista, eli saman 
aluksen tekemien peräkkäisten merimatkojen sarjasta, 
säätämällä, että yksittäiset tai peräkkäiset merimatkat, joita on kaksi kertaa tarjottu 
vuororahtausjärjestelmään ja joita kukaan ei ole huolinut, poistetaan 
vuororahtausjärjestelmästä ja niistä voidaan neuvotella vapaasti. 
13 
7 artikla 
Jäsenvaltioiden on kahden vuoden kuluessa tämän direktiivin voimaan tulosta toteutettava 
tarvittavat toimenpiteet, jotta rahtaajilla olisi mahdollisuus valita vapaasti kolmen eri 
sopimustyypin välillä: 
aikarahtaussopimukset, myös vuokrasopimukset, joissa liikenteenharjoittaja asettaa yhden 
tai useamman aluksen ja niiden miehistöt yhden sopimuskumppanin yksinomaiseen 
käyttöön määrätyksi ajaksi kuljettaakseen tämän hänelle uskomat tavarat päivien 
lukumäärän mukaisesti määritettävää rahamäärää vastaan. Osapuolet voivat sopia vapaasti, 
määräsopimukset, joissa liikenteenharjoittaja sitoutuu kuljettamaan sopimuksessa 
vahvistettuna ajanjaksona tietyn tavaramäärän sen vetoisuuden mukaisesti määritettävää 
rahtimaksua vastaan. Osapuolet voivat sopia vapaasti; sopimuksen tulee ehdottomasti 
koskea suuria tavaramääriä, 
yksittäisiä tai peräkkäisiä matkoja koskevat matkarahtaussopimukset, jotka tehdään 
vuororahtausjärjestelmässä. 
8 artikla 
1. Jos sisävesiliikenteen markkinoilla aiheutuu vakavia häiriöitä, komissio voi omasta 
aloitteestaan tai jäsenvaltion pyynnöstä toteuttaa asianmukaiset toimenpiteet, erityisesti 
toimenpiteet, joilla pyritään estämään kaikki kyseisten markkinoiden kuljetuskapasiteetin 
lisäykset. Päätös tehdään 9 artiklan 2 kohdassa säädetyn menettelyn mukaisesti. 
2. Jos jäsenvaltio pyytää toimenpiteitä, asiasta on päätettävä kolmen kuukauden aikana 
pyynnön vastaanottamisesta. 
3. Jäsenvaltion toimenpiteitä koskevaan pyyntöön on liitettävä kaikki tarvittavat tiedot, jotta 
kyseisen alan taloudellista tilannetta voidaan arvioida, sekä erityisesti: 
keskimääräiset kustannukset ja eri tyyppisten kuljetusten maksut, 
aluksen käyttöaste, 
ennuste kysynnän kehityksestä. 
Edellä tarkoitettuja tietoja saa käyttää ainoastaan tilastollisiin tarkoituksiin. Kiellettyä on 
niiden käyttö verotuksessa ja luovuttaminen kolmansille. 
4. Tämän artiklan mukaisesti tehdyistä päätöksistä on viipymättä ilmoitettava jäsenvaltioille. 
14 
9 artikla 
1. Komissiota avustaa neuvoston direktiivillä 91/672/ETY<5) perustettu komitea. 
2. Komission edustaja tekee komitealle ehdotuksen tarvittavista toimenpiteistä. Komitea 
antaa, tarvittaessa äänestettyään, lausuntonsa ehdotuksesta määräajassa, jonka 
puheenjohtaja voi asettaa asian kiireellisyyden mukaan. 
Lausunto merkitään pöytäkirjaan; lisäksi jokaisella jäsenvaltiolla on oikeus pyytää, että sen 
kanta merkitään pöytäkirjaan. 
Komission on otettava huomioon komitean lausunto mahdollisimman laajasti. Sen on 
ilmoitettava, millä tavoin lausunto on otettu huomioon. 
10 artikla 
1. Jäsenvaltioiden on saatettava voimaan tämän direktiivin noudattamisen edellyttämät lait, 
asetukset ja hallinnolliset määräykset ennen 1 päivää tammikuuta 1996 ja ilmoitettava tästä 
komissiolle viipymättä. 
Näissä jäsenvaltioiden antamissa säädöksissä on viitattava tähän direktiiviin tai niitä 
virallisesti julkaistaessa niihin on liitettävä viittaus tähän direktiiviin. Jäsenvaltioiden on 
säädettävä siitä, miten viittaukset tehdään. 
2. Jäsenvaltioiden on toimitettava viipymättä komissiolle tässä direktiivissä tarkoitetuista 
kysymyksistä antamansa kansalliset säännökset kirjallisina komissiolle. 
11 artikla 
Tämä direktiivi tulee voimaan kolmantena päivänä sen jälkeen, kun se on julkaistu Euroopan 
yhteisöjen virallisessa lehdessä. 
12 artikla 
Tämä direktiivi on osoitettu kaikille jäsenvaltioille. 
Tehty Brysselissä 
Neuvoston puolesta 
Puheenjohtaja 
(5) EYVL N:o L 373, 31.12.1991, s. 29 
15 
Ehdotus 
NEUVOSTON ASETUKSEKSI 95/0122 (SYN) 
sisävesiliikenteen rakenteellisista parannuksista annetun asetuksen (ETY) N:o 1101/89 
muuttamisesta0 
EUROOPAN UNIONIN NEUVOSTO, joka 
ottaa huomioon Euroopan yhteisön perustamissopimuksen ja erityisesti sen 75 artiklan, 
ottaa huomioon komission ehdotuksen0\ 
toimii yhdessä Euroopan parlamentin kanssa(2), 
ottaa huomioon talous-ja sosiaalikomitean lausunnon(3), 
sekä katsoo, että 
neuvoston asetuksessa (ETY) N:o 1101/89(4), sellaisena kuin se on viimeksi muutettuna 
asetuksella (EY) N:o /95(5), toteutettiin sisävesiliikenteen alalle rakenteellisia parannuksia 
koskeva järjestelmä; tämän asetuksen tarkoituksena on pienentää sisävesiliikenteen aluskannan 
ylikapasiteettia säätämällä yhtenäisestä alusten romutuksesta yhteisön tasolla, 
asetuksessa (ETY) N:o 1101/89 säädetään mahdollisuudesta yhteisön rahoitukseen vuosille 
1995 -1998 ja vuosille 1996, 1997 ja 1998 yksityiskohtaiset säännöt ovat vielä määrittämättä, 
nykyisin voimassa olevan rakenteellisia parannuksia koskevan järjestelmän periaatteena on, että 
sen rahoittavat ensisijaisesti kyseisen alan toimijat vuosittaisilla maksuilla, ja 
julkinen osallistuminen on myönnettävä vuosittain yhdessä kyseisen alan toimijoiden 
maksamien rahoitusosuuksien kanssa; tästä toiminnasta on säädetty kolmeksi vuodeksi, vuosiksi 
1996, 1997 ja 1998, ja sitä on arvioitava vuosittain, 
r) Tämä ehdotus on laadittu ottaen huomioon komission . .199 (asiak. ...) esittämän 
asetuksen (ETY) N:o 1101/89 muutosehdotuksen. 
(i) 
(2) 
(3) 
(4) EYVL N:o L 116, 28.4.1989, s. 25 
(5) 
16 
ON ANTANUT TÄMÄN ASETUKSEN: 
1 artikla 
1) Lisätään asetuksen (ETY) N:o 1101/89 4 a artiklaan seuraavat kohdat: 
"4. Yhteisön rahoitusavustuksen määrä vuosille 1996, 1997 ja 1998 osalta ei saa ylittää 
alan toimijoiden kaksinkertaista maksujen määrää. 
5. Kyseisten jäsenvaltioiden on asetettava suunnilleen yhteisöltä tulevaa rahamäärää 
vastaava määrä rahastojen sa käyttöön 4 kohdassa mainittuina vuosina. Jokaisen 
asianomaisen jäsenvaltion osuus lasketaan suhteellisesti sen käytössä olevan 
aluskannan koon perusteella verrattuna muiden jäsenvaltioiden aluskantaan. Komissio 
määrittää nämä määrät yhdessä eri romutusrahastojen viranomaisten kanssa. 
6. Komissio määrittää vuosien 1996,1997ja 1998 romutustoiminnan aikana joka vuoden 
alussa tämän asetuksen nojalla kulloinkin kuluvan vuoden romutustoimintaa koskevat 
yksityiskohtaiset säännöt taloudellisten mahdollisuuksien, markkinoiden kehityksen 
ja toteutettujen vapauttamistoimenpiteiden mukaisesti." 
2 artikla 
Tämä asetus tulee voimaan kahdentenakymmenentenä päivänä sen jälkeen, kun se on julkaistu 
Euroopan yhteisöjen virallisessa lehdessä. 
Tämä asetus on kaikilta osiltaan velvoittava, ja sitä sovelletaan sellaisenaan kaikissa 
jäsenvaltioissa. 
Tehty Brysselissä 
Neuvoston puolesta 
Puheenjohtaja 
17 
Ehdotus 
NEUVOSTON ASETUKSEKSI 95/0123 (SYN) 
tuen myöntämisestä rautatie-, maantie-ja sisävesiliikenteeseen annetun asetuksen (ETY) N:o 
1107/70 muuttamisesta 
EUROOPAN UNIONIN NEUVOSTO, joka 
ottaa huomioon Euroopan yhteisön perustamissopimuksen ja erityisesti sen 75 artiklan, 
ottaa huomioon komission ehdotuksen(1), 
toimii yhdessä Euroopan parlamentin kanssa(2), 
ottaa huomioon talous-ja sosiaalikomitean lausunnon(3), 
sekä katsoo, että 
neuvoston asetuksessa (ETY) N:o 1107/70(4), sellaisena kuin se on viimeksi muutettuna 
asetuksella (EY) ... (5), ja erityisesti sen 3 artiklan 1 alakohdassa säädetään, että jäsenvaltiot 
voivat myöntää tukea, jonka tarkoituksena on edistää yhteisölle yleensä edullisemman 
kuljetusjärjestelmän tai kuljetustekniikan kehitystä ja yhdistettyjen kuljetusten kehittämistä, 
maantie- ja rautatieliikenteen ruuhkautumiseen, liikenneturvallisuuteen, ympäristöön, 
energiansäästöön ja kansalaisten elämän laatuun liittyvien koko ajan kasvavien ongelmien 
johdosta on välttämätöntä, että yleisen edun vuoksi sisävesiliikenteen mahdollisuuksia 
hyödynnetään tehokkaammin ja että sitä kehitetään edelleen parantamalla erityisesti sen 
kilpailukykyä, 
jälleenlaivauskustannukset muodostavat hyvin merkittävän osan sisävesiliikenteen 
kokonaiskustannuksista; sisävesiliikenteen kehitykselle on ensisijaisen tärkeätä, että merkittäviä 
investointeja tehdään, jotta jälleenlaivauslaitteistot saataisiin tehokkaammiksi ja enemmän 
nykyisten logististen tarpeiden mukaisiksi ja siten voitaisiin osaltaan vaikuttaa sisävesiliikenteen 
kehittymiseen toivotulla tavalla, 
tätä tarkoitusta varten olisi kannustettava investointeja sisävesiliikenteen pääteasemien 
infrastruktuuriin ja/tai varusteisiin, jotka mahdollistavat sisävesiliikenteen edistämisen tai 
lisäämisen; sen vuoksi on tärkeätä, että valtioiden myöntämä tai valtioiden varoista saatu tuki 
voidaan asettaa kyseisten yritysten käyttöön, 
(n 
(2) 
(3) 
(4) EYVL N:o L 130, 15.6.1970, s. 1 
(5) 
18 
olisi toteutettava yhdenmukaistetut edellytykset tuen myöntämiselle sisävesiliikenteen 
kehittämiselle ja olisi säännöllisin väliajoin arvioitava tämän tuen vaikutus, 
tämä tuki on myönnettävä riittävän pitkäksi ajaksi, jotta mainituilla laitteistoilla olisi tarpeeksi 
aikaa niiden käyttäjäkunnan vakiinnuttamiseen ja saamaan aikaan uutta sisävesiliikennettä; tämä 
tukijärjestelmä olisi pidettävä voimassa 31 päivään joulukuuta 1999 saakka ja neuvoston olisi 
säädettävä perustamissopimuksessa määrätyin edellytyksin myöhemmin sovellettavasta 
tukijärjestelmästä tai tarvittaessa edellytyksistä, joilla tämän järjestelmän soveltaminen 
lopetetaan, ja 
yhteisön tukea koskevia säännöksiä on tarpeen mukauttaa ja sen vuoksi olisi muutettava asetusta 
(ETY) N:o 1107/70, 
ON ANTANUT TÄMÄN ASETUKSEN: 
l artikla 
Lisätään asetuksen (ETY) N:o 1107/70 3 artiklan 1 alakohtaan alakohta seuraavasti: 
"f) jos tuki myönnetään tilapäisesti 31 päivään joulukuuta 1999 asti ja sen tarkoituksena on 
sisävesiliikenteen kehittäminen ja tuki koskee: 
joko investointeja sisävesiliikenteen pääteasemien infrastruktuuriin, 
tai investointeja jälleenlaivauksessa sisävesiliikenteestä ja -liikenteeseen tarvittaviin 
kiinteisiin ja irtaimiin laitteistoihin, 
Myönnetyn tuen määrä ei saa ylittää 50 prosenttia investoinnin kokonaismäärästä. 
Tämän tuen saajien on sitouduttava hankkimaan sisävesiliikenteeseen viiden vuoden aikana 
uutta tai ylimääräistä kalustoa, joka määritetään yhdessä jäsenvaltion toimivaltaisten 
viranomaisten kanssa. Jos tätä sitoumusta ei noudateta, toimivaltainen viranomainen perii tuen 
takaisin. 
19 
Komissio esittää Euroopan parlamentille ja neuvostolle kahden vuoden välein kertomuksen 
näiden toimenpiteiden soveltamisesta erityisesti tuen käytöstä, sen määrästäja sen vaikutuksesta 
sisävesiliikenteeseen. Jäsenvaltioiden on toimitettava komissiolle tämän kertomuksen 
laatimiseen tarvittavat tiedot. 
Neuvosto päättää komission ehdotuksesta ja perustamissopimuksessa määrätyin edellytyksin 
viimeistään 31 päivänä heinäkuuta 1999 sen jälkeen sovellettavasta järjestelmästä tai 
tarvittaessa yksityiskohtaisista säännöistä tämän järjestelmän lakkauttamiseksi." 
2 artikla 
Tämä asetus tulee voimaan kahdentenakymmenentenä päivänä sen jälkeen, kun se on 
julkaistu Euroopan yhteisöjen virallisessa lehdessä. 
Tämä asetus on kaikilta osiltaan velvoittava, ja sitä sovelletaan sellaisenaan kaikissa 
jäsenvaltioissa. 
Tehty Brysselissä 
Neuvoston puolesta 
Puheenjohtaja 
20 
FINANCIAL STATEMENT 
Budget Line B2-708: Scrapping actions in inland waterway transport. 
1. TITLE OF OPERATION 
Structural reform actions in inland waterway transport. 
2. BUDGET HEADING INVOLVED 
B2-708 line. 
3. LEGAL BASIS 
Article 75 of the EEC Treaty. 
Council Regulation (EEC) No 1101/89 of 27 April 1989 relating to structural improvements in 
inland waterway transport (OJ EEC of 28 April 1989), last amended by Regulation (EC) No 
844/94 (OJ No L 98 of 16.4.1994, p. 1). 
Amendment of Council Regulation No 1101 /89 by Council Regulation (EC) No / 95. 
4. DESCRIPTION OF OPERATION: 
4.1 General Objective: 
Temporary and additional financial contribution by the Community to the scrapping 
programme in order to significantly reduce structural carrying overcapacity, estimated at 
approximately 15% in both sectors (dry cargo and tankers), and thus to improve the 
structure of inland waterway transport. This intervention is justified in the first instance by 
particularly severe economic circumstances, which mean that it is no longer possible to 
increase the level of contributions made by the profession - which is currently financing its 
own structural reform programme. However, this proposal is essentially a supporting 
measure in the Community programme of progressive liberalization of the inland waterway 
market which is planned for the next few years. These wide-ranging measures, which were 
requested by the Council, aim to guarantee the sustainable competitivity of the sector. For 
this purpose, additional financial resources are needed, funded simultaneously from the 
Community budget, by the Member States concerned and by the profession. 
4.2 Period covered and arrangements for renewal. 
3 years: 1996-1997-1998. Any extension of the action after 1998 will have to be financed 
entirely by the profession itself. 
21 
5. CLASSIFICATION OF EXPENDITURE or REVENUE 
5.1 Non-compulsory expenditure 
5.2 Differentiated appropriations 
5.3 Type of revenue involved: none. 
6. TYPE OF EXPENDITURE or REVENUE 
subsidy for joint financing with other sources in the public and private sector. 
Should the operation prove an economic success, is there provision for all or part of 
the Community contribution to be reimbursed? NO. 
Will the proposed operation cause any change in the level of revenue? NO. 
7. FINANCIAL IMPACT 
7.1 The annual amount needed for the structural reform of carrying capacity (15% of overall 
overcapacity, being 1 500 000 tonnes for the dry cargo fleet and 300 000 tonnes for the 
tanker fleet) is estimated at ECU 64 million/year over three years, from 1996 to 1998, or 
ECU 192 million composed of ECU 142 million for the dry cargo fleet and ECU 50 million 
for the tanker fleet. 
In making this calculation, one must take into account the effects of the liberalization 
process on the inland waterway market, which will at the same time expel numerous boats 
which are incapable of surviving in an open market from the rotation systems. One must 
also take account of the accession of Austria and the integration of its fleet into the 
Community programme, as well as the fact that the scrapping premiums have not been 
modified since 1990 (an overall increase of 15%, with variations according to the category 
of boat, is judged necessary). 
The level of annual contributions by the profession for the 3 years 1996-1997-1998 is set 
at approximately ECU 14 million a year, i.e. ECU 42 million for the period under 
consideration. 
However, ECU 12 million of this amount must be used for repaying the amounts pre-
financed by the Member States for the 1990, which leaves only ECU 30 million for the new 
action. . 
It is therefore proposed that the difference, i.e. 192-30=ECU 162 million, be financed from 
the Community budget and by the Member States concerned, distributed over 3 years 
(1996-1997 and 1998). In view of the current and projected budgetary resources, the 
community is already in a position to be able to intervene to the tune of ECU 40 million 
over 3 years (ECU 20 million in 1996 and ECU 10 million in 1997 and 1998). The 
Commission will nevertheless will keep open the option of mobilising supplementary 
resources depending on the future budgetary situation. 
22 
The outstanding part of the funding for the scrapping action, i.e. at least half 
(ECU 81 million) and at most ECU 122 million, will come from the national budgets of the 
Member States concerned, the actual amount being set in proportion to the size of their 
respective fleet. For example, Germany, whose fleet accounts for 30% of the Community 
fleet, should therefore part-finance at most (depending on the resources allocated by the 
community in 1997 and in 1998) an amount of ECU 36.6 million (122x30:100), i.e. ECU 
12.2 million/year or approximately 22 million DM/year. As far as this particular example 
is concerned, these resources partly exist already in the German budget, which allocated 
DM 60 million to be distributed over 3 years for a scrapping programme of this type. 
7.2 Itemized breakdown of cost 
EC in MEcus 
Budget 
CONTRIBUTION TO 
THE SCRAPPING ACTION 
TOTAL Allocation 
95 
5.0 
5.0 PDB 96 
20.0 
20.0 97 
10.0 
10.0 98 
10.0 
10.0 
7.3 Schedule for multiannual operations. 
The budget of ECU 40 million is for the period 1996 - 1998 
EC in MEcus 
Accumu­
lated 
position 
end 1994 
(1) 
0 1995 
budget 
5.0 PDB 
1996 
20,0 Indicative plan 
1997 
10.0 1998 
10.0 1999 2000 
and 
subs. 
yrs. TOTAL 
45.0 
8. FRAUD PREVENTION MEASURES; RESULTS OF MEASURES TAKEN 
Management will be carried out in accordance with Council Regulations (EEC) No 1101/89, 
Commission Regulation No 1102/89 and on the basis of Regulation (EC) No .... amending 
Regulation No 1101/89. The management of each national scrapping fund is the 
responsibility of the competent authorities of the Member State concerned. At the 
beginning of each year, the Commission, in collaboration with the authorities of the national 
scrapping funds, shall balance the accounts and shall ensure financial coordination between 
the various national scrapping funds. 
23 
9. ELEMENTS OF COST-EFFECTIVENESS ANALYSIS 
9.1 Specific and quantifiable objectives; target population 
Specific objectives:Considering the structural weakness of the inland waterway 
transport sector and the interest that exists in exploiting the advantages of this mode of 
transport, the aim of this action is to bring about structural improvements in the inland 
waterway market in parallel with its progressive liberalization, while endeavouring to 
reduce the structural overcapacity of the fleet which is currently estimated at 
approximately 15%. 
Target population: Inland waterway operators. 
9.2 Grounds for the operation 
The need for Community financial aid is justified by the need for measures aimed at 
restructuring the sector which must accompany the process of the inland waterway 
market. This restucturing will be achieved by a reduction of the size of the fleet 
brought about by the temporary additional co-financing by the Community. In addition, 
the Council, in its resolution of 24.10.1994 (published in the OJ No C309/5 of 5.11.94) 
stated that to guarantee the long-term competitiveness of the sector, it was important 
to proceed to a substantial new structural reform. If additional measures proved 
necessary after 1998, these would be a matter for the profession alone. 
Choice of ways and means 
* Scrapping premiums 
* Operation of the measures for structural improvement in inland waterway transport 
laid down in Commission Regulations (EEC) No 1102/89 and No 690/92. The 
management of the scrapping funds is the responsibility of each Member State 
concerned. The Commission is instructed, on the basis of Article 6 of Regulation 
(EEC) No 1101/89, in particular paragraph 5, to determine the conditions for 
allocating these scrapping premiums. 
9.3 Monitoring and evaluation of the action 
Performance indicators 
* Level of requests for scrapping premiums accepted. 
The scrapping premium must be paid by the authorities of the national scrapping 
funds within a month of the date on which the owner provided proof of scrapping. 
The authorities of the national scrapping funds must forward to the Commission 
each month a list of payments of scrapping premiums in order for it to check the 
state of progress of the action. 
* Tonnage and carrying capacity subject to contribution in the various Member 
States concerned which is actually scrapped. 
24 
Details and frequency of planned evaluation. 
Six-monthly reports and final Report at the end of 1998, carried out by Commission 
services, intended for the Member States as well as for the European professional 
organizations. 
Paragraph 2 of Article 10 of Council Regulation (EEC) No 1101/89 of 27 April 1989 
stipulates that Member States must forward all relevant information on the 
development of the current scrapping action to the Commission every 6 months. This 
information relates in particular to the financial position of the funds, the number of 
requests for scrapping premiums submitted, and tonnage actually scrapped. 
Since then, Commission departments have drawn up a six-monthly report. The tenth report (for 
the period from 01.07.1994 to 31.12.1994) was distributed to the profession and to the Member 
States concerned on 15 March 1995. In addition, Article 6 paragraph 6 of Regulation (EEC) No 
3690/92 provides for Member States, at the end of each quarter, to forward to the Commission 
a list of requests for scrapping premiums as well as a complete table of the financial resources 
available, in order for a quarterly meeting to be held in Brussels,. 
10. ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENDITURE (PART A OF THE BUDGET) 
The efficient use of the administrative resources which are called for will depend on the annual 
decision of the Commission regarding its own resources; this in turn will depend largely on the 
increased staff and additional money provided by the budgetary authorities. 
10.1 The action requires the recruitment of an additional A category official to implement 
the package of measures for liberalizing the inland waterway transport market (already 
allocated in the resource framework for 1995). 
10.2 The other operational and personnel costs engendered by the action are covered by the 
normal allocation to the DG and are not likely to result in significant increases, given 
that the work involved is part of actions which are mainly external, (for example, the 
coordination of the national scrapping funds). 
25 
IMPACT EVALUATION FORM 
IMPACT OF THE PROPOSALS ON FIRMS AND IN PARTICULAR ON SMALL 
AND MEDIUM-SIZED ENTREPRISES 
Title of the proposals : 
Proposal for a Council Directive (EC) of... 1995 on the systems of chartering and 
pricing in national and international inland waterway transport in the Community. 
Proposal for a Council Directive (EC) of... 1995 amending Council Regulation (EEC) No 
1101/89 on structural improvements in inland waterway transport. 
- Proposal for a Council Directive (EC) of... 1995amending Regulation (EEC) No 1107/70 
on the granting of aids for transport by rail, road and inland waterway transport. 
The proposals 
1. With regard to the principle of subsidiarity (see chapter V of the communication to the 
CouncilV why is community legislation necessary in this field and what are its main 
goals? 
The disparities in national laws on commercial waterway operations do not contribute to the 
proper functioning of the single market in this sector. The completion of the single market calls 
for a further harmonisation of the different rules presently applying to different market segments 
of the Union's waterways market. Indeed, it is difficult to understand, in particular from a 
shippers point of view, why certain shippers, because of their place of establishment, are obliged 
to work via the so-called "tour-de-rôle" system (sharing of cargoes to be transported, at fixed 
tariffs and uniform conditions, between waiting vessels according to their position in the queue 
after being unloaded), whilst other shippers can operate in a free market. 
To promote transport by waterways, it is desirable gradually to replace existing regulations, 
likely to hinder its development, by a system of free chartering and free pricing (1st proposal). 
In order to ensure the necessary uniformity and transparency, a timetable should be set at 
Community level for thi s progressive liberalization of the market, so enabling the Member States 
concerned to act in a synchronised manner. Because of the socio-economic problems in the 
waterway sector and the structural changes required as a result of its progressive liberalization, 
an accompanying measure is called for, that is a new scrapping action of a considerable size (see 
Council Resolution of 26 October 1994) jn order to ensure enduringly the competitiveness of the 
sector (2nd proposal). 
Lastly, the 3rd proposal allows the possibility of state aids for investments in terminal 
infrastructure an/or equipment in order to stimulate waterway traffic. This measure is inspired 
by the existing rules for aid for combined transport. 
26 
In the market concerned, for instance in North-South traffic between the Netherlands and 
Belgium, the number of single-trip contracts ("assignments", see below) is going down since 
many years (see page 41 of the report of NEA of 24/02/1995 on market observation in inland 
navigation). One of the reasons is that shippers object the tour-de-rôle system (too rigid, no free 
choice of carrier, etc.) and turn to alternatives. 
In order to make waterway carriage more attractive, measures are called for such as progressive 
deregulation with accompanying measures. 
Average M'ai ting time and assignments in Tour-de-Rôle traffic from Netherlands to Belgium 
waiting daya / assignments 
\„ » 
assignments (x 50) 28 
' I I 1 T I I I I | I | | | | | | | | | | i 
121412341234123412341234 
1«9 | 1M0 | 1M1 | 1W2 | 1W3 | 1W4 
Quartor/year 
Source: NEA 
27 
Impact on the companies 
2. Who will be affected by the proposals ? 
(a) Direct impact (possibilities of new activities). 
shippers in B, F and NL. 
private owner operators 
ship owner companies (companies with more than 3 vessels) 
groupings or cooperatives of private owner operator 
other operators (terminal operators, inland ports ...) 
Positive impact : the liberalization of the market will make waterway transport more attractive 
to the users and will make these services more competitive compared to other transport modes. 
(b) Indirect impact (provision of transport services). 
all enterprises needing transport (shippers). 
Positive impact : will dispose of improved services; allieviation of road congestion. 
3. What measure will companies have to take to conform to the proposal ? 
The private owner operators, that participate in the rota systems progressively have to give up 
this freight distribution system. They will have to reorganize; so as to adapt to free market 
conditions, either by creating commercial groupings or by putting the accent on marketing and 
logistics. Those who want to leave the business will benefit from scrapping premiums. 
4. What economic effects is the proposal likely to have ? 
Positive impact on the waterway market. The research institutes NEA and PLANCO made, on 
behalf of the Commission, an estimate of the additional freight volume for waterways that would 
follow the liberalization of the market. According to these institutes the increase should be in the 
order of 6 to 7 million tonnes per annum, which is more than 10 % of the total freight currently 
handled by the various rota systems. However, the psychological effect on shippers of such 
measure, in combination with the stimulation measures contained in annex III, could lead to a 
substantial higher outcome 
Negative impact on owner-operators with low levels of performance, who may have to leave a 
more competitive market, but who can nevertheless receive an aid in the form of a scrapping 
premium for their vessels. 
5. Do the proposals contain measures intended to take account of the specific situation of small 
and medium-sized enterprises (SME's) ? 
Precisely because of the specific socio-economic structure of the sector (atomisation of the 
waterway industry with a strong majority of single owner operators) the proposals provide for 
a measures to accompany the liberalisation in order to reduce the structural weaknesses of the 
sector and to promote waterway carriage. In addition, the Commission is authorized to lay down 
the rate of the scrapping premium for different vessel types and tonnage-classes and hence has 
the possibility of ensuring that the smallest SME's will not be disadvantaged. 
28 
Consultation 
6. List of the organizations which were consulted on the proposals and statement of the 
essential elements of their position 
O.E.B./E.S.O. European Organization of Barge owner operators 
U.I.N.F/1.BU. International Union of inland waterway operators 
U.N.I.C.E. International Union of Industries in the Community 
F.E.P.I. European Federation of Inland Ports 
C.S.T. Committee of trade unions in transport 
C.L.E.C.A.T. Freight forwarders 
General agreement on the need for a transitional period before total liberalisation of the 
market, except for O.E.B. which fears that the liberalisation proposal of annex I will only 
have an impact on transport prices and considers that prior to liberalisation the waterway 
sector has to be rehabilitated. However, the organization welcomes the proposals set out in 
annex II and III. 
All organizations consider it useful to improve the market observation system. O.E.B. 
considers this even a condition for liberalisation. 
It is commonly felt that the quantified objective for a new action to take structural 
overcapacity out of the market in the period 1996-1997-1998 is around 15 %. However, to 
take into account the effects of a likely improvement of the general economic situation, it 
seems necessary to spread this over 3 years (5 % p.a. x 3) with the possibility of reviewing 
the situation at the end of each year. 
The measures to promote inland waterway traffic were endorsed by all organizations and 
in particular by those in favour of a specific waterway terminal policy. This type of policy 
was vividly supported by U.N.I.C.E. and C.L.E.C.A.T. in particular. 
29 

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30