Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee on the ‘Proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on harmonised river traffic information services on inland waterways in the Community’(COM(2004) 392 final — 2004/0123 (COD))
Date: 2004-12-15
Institutions: European Economic and Social Committee
Subjects: information network, inland waterway shipping, management, telematics, transport policy

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Official Journal of the European Union

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Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee on the ‘Proposal for a Directive of the
European Parliament and of the Council on harmonised river traffic information services on inland
waterways in the Community’

(COM(2004) 392 final — 2004/0123 (COD))

(2005/C 157/08)

On 8 June 2004, the Council decided to consult the European Economic and Social Committee, under
Article 71 of the Treaty establishing the European Community, on the abovementioned proposal.

The Section for Transport, Energy, Infrastructure and the Information Society, which was responsible for
preparing the Committee's work on the subject, adopted its opinion on 24 November 2004. The rappor-
teur was Mr Simons.

At its 413th plenary session of 15 and 16 December 2004 (meeting of 15 December) the European
Economic and Social Committee adopted the following opinion by 144 votes in favour with one absten-
tion:

1. Introduction

native to road haulage, IWT has already succeeded in winning
new markets.

1.1
On 25 May 2004, the European Commission submitted
a Proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of
the Council on harmonised river traffic information services on
inland waterways
In submitting this
in the Community.
proposal, the Commission is seeking to support the future
development of inland waterway transport (IWT) by integrating
and harmonising the existing national telematic services which,
over the past few years, have been or are being introduced in
the various Member States.

The proposal

1.2
is part of a policymaking initiative to
promote other transport modes as alternatives to road trans-
port, in order to resolve the difficulties brought about by the
inconsistent transport policy of the past few years, which is
deemed to be the root cause of the major problems currently
facing the European transport system.

In a number of (own-initiative) opinions, meetings (1)
1.3
and conclusions, the European Economic and Social Committee
has already highlighted the importance of
inland waterway
transport on the Community market. Particular attention
should be given to eliminating national and international infra-
structure bottlenecks. On that front, the EESC has repeatedly
called on EU Member States to properly maintain waterways.
The Committee views proper maintenance of waterways as a
basic condition for making the introduction of advanced river
traffic information services worthwhile. Failure to fulfil this
basic condition has already led to bottlenecks, which could
jeopardise the future development of the role of river traffic (2).

Under the White Paper's strategy, the Commission is
1.4
the sector in adapting to new
committed to further assist
the deployment of
strongly encourages
market needs.
modern information and communication technologies (ICT), in
this context with the particular aim of improving traffic and
transport management on inland waterways.

It

(1) See: DI CESE 48/2002:

Joint conclusions adopted at

the 5th
meeting of the EU-Romania Joint Consultative Committee held in
Bucharest on 23 and 24 May 2002 on Optimisation of the Danube as
a pan-European TEN corridor, rapporteur: Dr Bredima-Savopoulou;
EESC opinion on the Implementation of the structured social dialogue in
the pan-European transport corridors, OJ C 85, 8.4.2002, rapporteur:
Ms Alleweldt; EESC opinion on the future of the trans-European inland
waterway network, OJ C 80, 3.5.2002, rapporteur. Mr Levaux; and
EESC opinion Towards a pan-European system of inland waterway trans-
port, OJ C 10, 14.1.2004 , rapporteur: Mr Simons.

The IWT sector has sufficient infrastructure and shipping capa-
city to take a considerably higher share of Europe's overall
freight market away from the road network. Much of Europe is
within reach of Europe's cross-border waterways and many
national waterways. On many fronts, innovation is the watch-
word of the IWT sector. Thanks to its higher profile as an alter-

(2) For example,

in 2004 investment in waterway maintenance was
halted in the Netherlands, even though expenditure of at least €35
million is needed to overcome current stagnation and to prevent
future stagnation; the requisite funding will not become available till
2007.
In Germany an estimated €11 billion of investment is needed for
the 2000-2020 period, equivalent to annual
instalments of over
€500 million, whereas the new Federal Transport Infrastructure Plan
for 2001-2015 assumes annual maintenance needs of only €440
million (Planco Report on The Potential and Future of German River
Traffic (Potenziale und Zukunft der deutschen Binnenschifffahrt),
November 2003).

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The European Commission believes that the deployment
1.5
of
the river information services (RIS) concept will secure
compatibility and interoperability between current and new RIS
systems at European level. The idea is to encourage European
equipment suppliers to produce RIS hardware and software at
reasonable and affordable costs.

prevent any improper use. When the data are used for public
law purposes, the protection of privacy in electronic communi-
cations must be clearly safeguarded.

1.6
The international river commissions — the Central
Commission for Navigation on the Rhine and the Danube
Commission — back the development and introduction of RIS.
To that end, the Central Commission for Navigation on the
Rhine has already adopted, for the Rhine, the technical guide-
lines and specifications provided for under the directive and
drawn up by the International Navigation Association (PIANC).

3. Benefits of RIS for the future development of inland

navigation

3.1
According to the proposal for a directive, river traffic
information services are considered useful for a possible switch
to waterborne transport and if IWT is to participate more in
intermodal schemes, for the benefit of society. According to
the proposal, RIS are expected to provide four types of strategic
benefits:

2. Users and the importance of RIS for inland navigation

for a directive,

According to the proposal

2.1
the RIS
concept represents the most substantial change in the sector in
several decades. The aim is to launch information services to
support the planning and management of traffic and transport
operations. To that end, telematic applications developed sepa-
rately at national level are to be integrated into an interopera-
tional concept.

2.2
The proposal envisages the introduction of RIS as bene-
fiting the entire European inland waterway sector. The revitali-
sation of IWT through the implementation of RIS is of particu-
lar interest in the light of the enlargement of the EU to include
central and eastern European countries.

RIS are also designed to facilitate the tasks of the competent
authorities,
in particular traffic management and the moni-
toring of hazardous goods. From the perspective of security
and environmental protection, this should prove beneficial by
ensuring that parties concerned are better informed and that
response times to emergencies are cut.

2.3
Both traffic- and transport-related services are set to
benefit from the introduction of harmonised RIS. The directive
is thus designed to be of advantage both to national authorities
and to IWT, and its objectives fall under both public and
private law.

2.4
Given the differing aims and principles involved under
public and private law in using the system, the information and
services need special monitoring and steps must be taken to

— increased competitiveness,

— optimised use of infrastructures,

— improved safety and security, and

— increased environmental protection.

3.2 With regard to the first of these aspects, the EESC would
like to point out that the aim is to strengthen the position of
the sector as a whole relative to other means of transport. The
planned services must not be allowed to further undermine the
competitiveness of IWT in the new and future Member States,
which is already weakened due to the economic situation there.
Funding of services should give this aspect special priority. (1)

According to the proposal, more efficient voyage plan-
3.3
ning — where speed is adjusted as appropriate — will cut
waiting times and limit productivity losses. Moreover, by
providing
chain
members, RIS are designed to promote the integration of IWT
into intermodal transport chains.

information interfaces with all

supply

3.4
Alongside promoting IWT's competitiveness in relation
to other transport modes, it is important to further emphasise
the known advantages of IWT in areas such as safety, security
and environmental protection. IWT is currently considered to
be the safest transport mode (2).

3.5
As things stand, IWT will be able to retain its environ-
mental lead over other transport modes. A recent study on the
inland shipping (3) concluded
environmental performance of
that
inland shipping can help improve the environmental
performance of the transport chain. This in turn can help
achieve the Kyoto objectives by cutting exhaust gases.

(1) All the Danube States are already participating in RIS Lead Projects
on harmonising river transport services (e.g. COMPRIS: Consortium,
Operational Management Platform 2002-2005, involving 44 part-
ners from 11 countries, including Slovakia, Hungary, Romania and
Bulgaria). River traffic information services are expected to result in
substantial modernisation of river traffic along the Danube (Via
Donau: Strategy and achievements on the implementation of RIS in the
Danube region, 13.10.2004).

(2) EU Energy and transport in figures, statistical pocketbook 2003,

Part 3: Transport, chapter 6: Safety.

(3) Royal Haskoning: Environmental Performance of Inland Shipping, 27

January 2004.

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3.6
The EU environment ministers' decision of 28 June
2004 to limit the sulphur content of fuel used by inland-
waterway vessels to 0.1 % by 2010 also reflects the IWT
sector's environmental thinking. A high sulphur content in fuel
damages human health and may cause soil and water acidifica-
tion. IWT will play its part in combating these risks so as to
maintain its reputation as the most environmentally-friendly
transport mode. The European IWT fleet to a large extent
already uses fuel with a sulphur content of less than 0.2 %.

By fitting low-emission engines and using low-pollution fuels,
IWT is able to maintain its environmental edge over other
transport modes.

Introducing river traffic information services will
lead to a
further cut in IWT energy consumption and the inherent bene-
fits this brings can help the IWT sector achieve its environ-
mental objectives.

4. The proposal for a directive and its scope

It is envisaged that the directive will oblige Member
4.1
States to facilitate the introduction and use of harmonised river
traffic information services (RIS) and to ensure that the regula-
tory conditions are in place for such services' establishment and
ongoing development. The basic idea is to directly integrate
existing technologies (Article 1).

The Committee feels it is right to limit the scope of the
4.2
directive to inland waterways of class IV and above. It also
welcomes the dynamic reference to the Classification of Euro-
pean Inland Waterways.

4.3
the
The directive defines the specific obligations of
Member States as regards the provision of data necessary for
the execution of the voyage, the provision of electronic naviga-
tional charts and the provision of notices to skippers and the
authorities.

For the EESC, the requirement that Member States must ensure
the availability of electronic navigational charts suitable for
navigational purposes only for waterways of class Va and
above in accordance with the Classification of European Inland
concerns, bearing in mind the
Waterways
waterway network in Germany, Belgium, the Czech Republic
and Poland (Article 4).

raises

some

appropriate measures to encourage users and vessels to comply
with the equipment requirements provided for in the directive.
To meet this requirement and to encourage ship operators to
use the services, the Committee feels that it is essential for
Member States not only to make the requisite data available
but also to provide incentives for onboard retrofitting.

For reasons of transparency — and given the principle that the
measures involved are to be voluntary — use of the services
should not be made mandatory. That said, as part of their drive
to implement RIS, Member States should also be required to
provide ways and means of encouraging ship operators to use
the system as widely as possible in order to attain the directive's
intended objectives.

4.5
The technical specifications for the planning, implemen-
tation and operational use of the services are laid down in tech-
nical guidelines (RIS guidelines). For the sake of system unifor-
mity, the Committee feels that these should match relevant
international organisations' existing guidelines and specifica-
tions.

4.6
It is particularly important to protect the privacy of ship
operators when RIS data are used for public and operational
purposes. The Committee feels that data protection is a key
requirement given the sensitive nature of some of the informa-
tion involved, and steps must be taken to prevent data being
passed on to public authorities.

4.7
To implement and transpose the proposed directive, the
Commission is to appoint a committee in line with Council
Decision 1999/468/EC of 28 June 1999 laying down the
procedures for the exercise of implementing powers conferred
on the Commission. To make sure the directive is transposed
in line with the objectives and the plan to promote IWT, this
committee, made up of representatives from the EU Member
States, should also, in the view of the EESC, consult trade body
representatives in the course of its deliberations (Article 11).

5. Transposing the directive

5.1 Acceptance by users

4.4
In principle, the directive does not oblige private users
— i.e. ship operators — to install the equipment necessary for
participating in RIS. However, Member States are asked to take

In the view of the Committee, special attention must be paid to
implementing and transposing the directive. The standardised
information that can help promote
RIS must contain useful
shipping. Surveys into telematics use in the EU Member States
have indicated that the IWT sector does not yet have adequate
facilities to implement RIS.

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the directive,

To boost acceptance among users and to encourage ship opera-
tors to implement
the Committee feels that
flanking measures are vital to help meet the equipment require-
ments. The Committee therefore supports the joint proposal of
the Dutch and Austrian transport ministries to draft a joint RIS
implementation plan for submission to the European Commis-
sion. The Committee calls for the implementation projects in
(future) Member States to be funded from the relevant EU
support programmes, particularly with a view to introducing
RIS in economically disadvantaged regions.

population live in coastal areas or along Europe's fifteen largest
rivers. With the enlargement of the European Union, IWT will
play an even more important role in the internal market. Many
of the new Member States have navigable waterways which are
used for freight transport. Within the framework of the policy
announced by the European Commission, IWT as such, and as
part of the intermodal transport chain, can play a major role in
the integration of the new Member States and realising their
potential for economic growth.

To be effective, RIS need to be used as widely as possible by
ship operators. The Committee feels that master plans that are
to be developed for that purpose must meet these require-
ments.

5.2 Cost

As the explanatory memorandum of the proposal for a direc-
tive makes clear, European equipment suppliers are to be
encouraged to produce RIS hardware and software at a reason-
able and affordable price. The European Commission maintains
that the introduction of the RIS concept will ensure compat-
ibility and interoperability between current and new RIS
the
systems at European level. The Committee feels that
Commission will need to continue monitoring the situation
and spurring things on if that aim is to become a reality.
Regular information and publications on the subject could help
to speed up this process.

In addition to expensive RIS hardware and software, high
communication costs for ship operators have so far restricted
GSM data transfer and internet communication. The Committee
feels that,
to
promote communication systems that best meet IWT require-
ments and can be used in a cost-effective way.

in implementing this directive,

is essential

it

To operate effectively, freight transport needs first-rate
6.3
infrastructure. The proper maintenance and upkeep of existing
IWT infrastructure and the elimination of bottlenecks are basic
prerequisites for promoting intermodality in freight transport
and boosting the role of IWT. The Committee views proper
maintenance of waterways as a basic condition for making the
introduction of advanced river
traffic information services
worthwhile. Failure to fulfil this basic condition has already led
to bottlenecks, which could jeopardise the future development
of the role of river traffic. The Committee therefore calls on
Member States to act accordingly and to provide the necessary
resources.

7. General recommendations

Against

this backdrop,

the Committee welcomes the
7.1
introduction of a legal framework for harmonised river traffic
information services
inland waterways.
on Community
Provided they are accepted on a broad scale, harmonised infor-
mation services on inland waterways can help achieve the
stated objective of securing a modal shift to waterways as an
alternative transport mode with a potential for growth and
offering safety and environmental advantages.

6. Basis for the recommendations set out below

The EU's main economic challenge is to realise its
6.1
growth potential. To that end, it is essential to develop and
support sustainable blueprints for growth. Freight
transport
plays a key role in the Community market. However, in the
absence of a coherent transport policy, this sector is facing
severe difficulties as a result of road congestion, the lack of
cooperation between railway companies and restricted access
to the market.

The main economic challenge facing the European Union is to
realise its growth potential. It is therefore necessary to support
sustainable growth. Freight transport plays an important role
within the internal market. However, it faces huge problems all
over Europe where mainly road congestion is threatening
economic development within the European Union. The solu-
tion is to be found in modal shifts and sustainable development
by facilitating the use of intelligent transport solutions.

Economic development in Europe thus depends on a strong
and balanced transport policy, a fact which needs to be fully
recognised by European decision makers.

6.2 Water transport is part of Europe's future. Water and
waterways play an important role in society. 50 % of the EU

For this purpose, a proper framework must be established and
secured so as to make IWT development a political priority.

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With reference to the success achieved in the modal shift to
short sea shipping, comparable advances are also possible in
the IWT sector — through targeted measures and provided
there is political support.

The economic benefits of reducing road congestion,
7.2
incorporating IWT into intermodal
transport chains and
protecting natural resources by making even more efficient use
of shipping capacity are good grounds for European support
for telematics in the IWT sector and for the harmonisation of
river traffic information services. So that the measures set out
in the proposed directive can be introduced effectively, the
Committee would recommend taking the following steps,
which it considers to be necessary for the introduction of river
traffic information services:

— the adoption of other relevant international organisations'
existing technical guidelines in the context of the RIS direc-
tive;

— a requirement that Member States should make electronic
navigational charts suitable for navigational purposes avail-
able for all European inland waterways of class IV and
above in accordance with the Classification of European
Inland Waterways;

— the protection of data against improper use;

Brussels, 15 December 2004

— consultation of the sector in the committee that has been
or is to be set up by the Commission to transpose the direc-
tive.

8. Specific comments

Flanking measures are needed to transpose the directive

8.1
on board inland-waterway vessels.

The IWT sector does not yet have adequate facilities to imple-
ment RIS. To be effective, however, these services need to be
used as widely as possible by ship operators. The master plans
that are to be drawn up must include targeted measures to
cater for these requirements, such as:

— Drafting a plan for implementation of RIS.

— Encouragement and support for ship operators to introduce
the requisite equipment on board ships so as to be able to
use the system effectively in line with the objectives of the
directive.

— The promotion of cost-effective communications systems

that best meet IWT requirements.

— Monitoring of RIS hardware and software production costs.

In order to effectively implement the proposal for a direc-

9.
tive, the EESC recommends that these steps be taken.

The President

of the European Economic and Social Committee

Anne-Marie SIGMUND