WRITTEN QUESTION E-0510/01 by Karla Peijs (PPE-DE) to the Commission. TEN's and the development of the inland waterways.
Date: 2001-02-22
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: common transport policy, inland waterway, trans-European network

13.11.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 318 E/69

The assessment will to a large extent be based on the results of monitoring of levels of radioactivity in
marine samples as carried out by Member States in compliance with Article 35 of the Euratom Treaty, and
communicated to the Commission under Article 36 of the Euratom Treaty.

The new Mar(cid:237)na study will look into any possible health detriment to the European population and any
possible detriment to aquatic life.

(1) OJ C 310, 15.12.1998.
(2) OJ C 60, 25.2.1998.

(2001/C 318 E/070)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0510/01

by Karla Peijs (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(22 February 2001)

Subject: TEN(cid:146)s and the development of the inland waterways

A report on bottlenecks in waterways was submitted to the European Commission (Round Table on
bottlenecks in waterways, 23 November 2000, Lille, France).

The report, drawn up by the inland waterway sector, reviews the status of the trans-European transport
network of waterways five years after the European TEN framework decisions were put in place. The
Report reviews the history of the TEN policies, starting with the White Paper on Growth, Competitiveness
and Employment (1992). The initial list of projects has been evaluated and defined in further detail by the
Christophersen Group and has been shaped by the principles established at the Essen Council in 1994. The
result was a fine-tuning of the major transport projects and the outcome was the following: A list of
14 priority projects which does not contain any projects related to inland waterways: while recognising
that public investment in infrastructure is under severe pressure as a result of budgetary constraints, it is
nevertheless regrettable that waterways development finds itself at the bottom of the priority list.

The waterways network urgently needs investment in its infrastructure in order to facilitate intermodal
transport (sea-river, river-rail, river-road), to remove a number of existing bottlenecks and to construct
a number of missing links that will enhance the network function.

In view of the increasing lack of space and the fact that waterborne transport is cheap, clean and green:

(cid:129) Why has the Commission not allocated a larger share of

the EU-TEN funds to stimulate the

development of the waterways network (1,5 % to inland waterways compared to 55 % to rail)?

(cid:129) Can the Commission explain why it has not played a more active role in the coordination to develop

TEN waterways projects crossing national borders?

(cid:129) In view of the enlargement of the European Union, what actions has the Commission in mind to
realise optimal inland waterway-transport on the Danube towards the Black Sea (e.g. obstructions
between Straubing and Vilshofen)?

Answer given by Mrs de Palacio on behalf of the Commission

(7 May 2001)

The inland waterway network is part of the trans-European network (TEN) defined by Decision No 1692/
96/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 July 1996 on Community guidelines for the
development of the trans-European transport network (1).

Decisions on the Community funding that the Commission may award under the budget line for the
Trans-European Transport Network to projects of common interest associated with the various modes of
transport are the outcome of a detailed examination of whether such projects comply with all the
in the relevant regulation (2). One criterion is the (cid:145)maturity(cid:146) of projects
conditions and criteria set
(particularly in technical and financial
In the interests of managing the Community budget
the Commission can therefore only support projects for which a sound implementation
efficiently,

terms).

C 318 E/70

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

13.11.2001

timetable has been submitted. Given that the Commission can cover only a relatively small proportion of
the total costs of projects, Community cofinancing in this sector is influenced by the investment policies of
the Member States (or, if applicable, private partners) who are still the main backers of TEN-T projects.

Nonetheless, the Commission(cid:146)s Trans-European Transport Network cofinancing policy has in the past
given considerable priority to the inland waterways sector. For the period 1995-1999, some € 32 million
in absolute terms was granted to projects specifically related to inland waterways (for example, eliminating
bottlenecks on the East-West axis connecting the Benelux countries, Germany and Poland, including the
Dortmund-Ems canal project, Madgeburg and Berlin hub projects and those between Berlin and the Polish
border) as well as a number of inland port redevelopment projects (for example the Dresden Elbe river
port).

There can be no simple comparison of the percentages of Community contributions to the rail sector with
those to inland waterways because, while the railway network covers the entire Community, the inland
waterways network is confined to a limited number of Member States. The Commission is of the view that
its cofinancing policy in this sector has been an accurate reflection of Member State investment activity
and has provided real impetus for a number of high priorities.

The abovementioned projects (as well as others cofinanced by the Community) play a key role in cross-
border traffic and in addition are crucial to traffic into Poland and other Central and Eastern European
the
countries.
Commission selected this area as a priority in the indicative multiannual programme for TEN-T
cofinancing for the period 2001-2006. This programme is due to be adopted by the Commission in
May-June 2001 after being submitted to the European Parliament.

In order to boost cross-border cooperation further in the inland waterways sector,

The Danube system was identified by the Pan-European Transport Conferences in Crete (1994) and
Helsinki (1997) as a priority corridor, Corridor VII, with a view to promoting the integrated development
of inland navigation traffic on the river. A joint memorandum of understanding on developing this
corridor is due to be finalised and signed by the Danube river basin countries and the Commission this
year. Moreover, at the request of the Danube Commission, the organisation responsible for upholding
freedom of navigation on the Danube for international traffic, the Commission has been heavily involved
for the last two years in facilitating the execution of the project of clearing debris from the river at Novi
Sad, in Serbia, in the wake of the Kosovan conflict of spring 1999. Consequently, acting on a proposal
from the Commission, in July 2000, the Council and Parliament in principle approved a Community
contribution to the project of up to € 22 million, or a maximum of 85 % of its estimated cost. Finally, for
the next few years, the Instrument for Structural Policies for Pre-Accession (ISPA) is expected to support
infrastructure projects on the Danube which help promote inland shipping.

(1) OJ L 228, 9.9.1996.
(2) Council Regulation (EC) No 2236/95 of 18 September 1995 laying down general rules for the granting of
Community financial aid in the field of trans-European networks (OJ L 228, 23.9.1995) as amended by Regulation
(EC) No 1655/1999 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 19 July 1999 (OJ L 197, 29.7.1999).

(2001/C 318 E/071)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0518/01

by Robert Goebbels (PSE) to the Commission

(22 February 2001)

Subject: Directive 85/337/EEC and the principle of subsidiarity

The Commission has recently decided to initiate infringement proceedings against Belgium, Spain and
Luxembourg for having allegedly failed to fully respect the European Directive on the assessment of the
effects of certain public and private projects on the environment (Directive 85/337/EEC) (1).