COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS NAIADES III: Boosting future-proof European inland waterway transport
Date: 2021-06-24
Institutions: Directorate-General for Mobility and Transport, European Commission
Subjects: action programme, combined transport, common transport policy, inland waterway transport, organisation of transport, reduction of gas emissions, sustainable mobility, trans-European network, transport infrastructure

EN 

  EN 

   EUROPEAN COMMISSION  Brussels, 24.6.2021  COM(2021) 324 final  COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS NAIADES III:            Boosting future-proof European inland waterway transport                 
 
 
COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN 
PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL 
COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS 

NAIADES III:  

Boosting future-proof European inland waterway transport 

1. 

INTRODUCTION 

The  fundamental  transformation  of  our  transport  systems  towards  zero-emission  mobility 
requires  an integrated multimodal  approach explicitly aimed  at  boosting the uptake of more 
sustainable and less congested transport modes. 

Long  recognised  as  one  of  the  most  CO2-efficient  modes  of  transport  (per  tonnes  of  goods 
carried)1  along  with  rail,  inland  waterway  transport  (IWT)  is  clearly  seen  as  central  to  the 
Union’s efforts to decarbonise the transport system. 
The European Green Deal2 called for decisive action to shift a substantial part of the freight 
transported by road (currently accounting for 75% of inland freight) to inland navigation and 
rail,  namely  through  measures  to  increase  the  capacity  of  inland  waterways  from  2021. 
Similarly, the Sustainable and Smart Mobility Strategy3 adopted on 9 December 2020, which 
lays  the  foundation  for  how  the  EU  transport  system  can  achieve  its  green  and  digital 
transformation and become more resilient to future crises, underlined the need to increase the 
use  of  more  sustainable  transport  modes,  and  indicated  that  inland  waterway  transport  and 
short-sea  shipping  should  increase  by  25%  by  2030  and  by  50%  by  2050.    Zero-emission 
mobility  is  also  the  major  objective  of  the  Zero  Pollution  Action  Plan  adopted  on  12  May 
20214. 

However, despite its environmental edge, and efforts  by the sector to  modernise operations, 
the overall modal share of the EU inland waterway transport sector has not seen the desired 
growth levels in recent years, remaining stable at around 6%5.  

Strong  additional  action  is  needed  to  better  address  challenges  preventing  the  sector  from 
attracting higher freight volumes and seizing opportunities linked to the shift towards a zero-
emission and digital economy. 

The already high modal share of inland waterway freight transport in some countries such as 
the  Netherlands  (42.7%),  Romania  (28.1%)  or  Bulgaria  (31.8%)6,  as  well  as  the  increasing 
use  of  inland  waterway  transport  in  urban  logistics  in  some  of  the  EU’s  most  congested 
cities7, highlight the great potential of the sector where the conditions are right.  

It  is  of  utmost  importance  to  preserve  these  accomplishments  and  further  seize  untapped 
potential  both  along  TEN-T  corridors  and  in  those  inner  cities  where  inland waterways can 
green the last mile of city logistics.  

1 CE Delft  STREAM study 
2 The European Green Deal,  COM(2019)640 final 
3 Sustainable and Smart Mobility Strategy – putting European transport on track for the future, COM(2020)789 final 
4 Communication from the Commission :” Towards Zero Pollution for Air, Water and Soil”, COM(2021)400 final 
5 Market Observatory report: https://inland-navigation-market.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Market-report-2014-2019_Web_BD.pdf  
6 Modal split of freight transport - Inland Waterways 2019, Eurostat - Data Explorer (europa.eu) 
7  For  example,  urban  logistics  in  Paris:  http://www.inlandnavigation.eu/news/transport/sustainable-urban-mobility-and-circular-economy/  

and http://www.inlandnavigation.eu/news/innovation/floating-city-warehouse/  

EN 

1 

EN 

 
 
                                                           
Multimodal  logistics  must  be  part  of  this  transformation,  within  and  beyond  urban  areas. 
Today,  the  scarcity  of  transhipment  infrastructure,  and  of  inland  multimodal  terminals  in 
particular, is pronounced in certain parts of Europe, and should be given the highest priority. 
Moreover, the inland waterway transport system must be made to work more efficiently both 
in  itself,  and  within  cross-border  multimodal  logistics  chains,  thanks  to  the  optimisation  of 
navigation conditions, a greater use of smart traffic management systems, and the multimodal 
exchange of data. This will not only require substantial investments in IWT and multimodal 
infrastructure, fleet modernisation and digitalisation, but also adaptations to the EU’s policy 
and  legal  frameworks  to  develop  inland  waterway  transport,  namely  by  tackling  continued 
market fragmentation  and improving the existing framework for intermodal transport8.  

The  sector  also  faces  new  challenges,  such  as  the  intensification  of  climate  change  and 
extreme  weather  events,  which  severely  affect  its  ability  to  operate  and  the  reliability  of 
services,  and  which  require  adequate  EU  policy  responses.  In  addition,  the  sector,  which  is 
primarily  composed  of  SMEs9,  has  been  particularly  hard  hit  by  periods  of  economic 
slowdown in Europe, seeing drops in activities in 2009-201010, as well as more recently due 
to  the  COVID-19  crisis,  with  the  sector  suffering  a  total  loss  of  turnover  of  around  €2.7 
billion in 2020, due to a 70% reduction in passenger transport and an 8% reduction in freight 
transport. These broader economic shocks and fierce price competition with other modes have 
hampered  the  sector’s  ability  to  reinvest  in  new  or  innovative  technologies,  and  to  attract 
workers.  

As a result, the age structure of the inland fleet is relatively old, with the majority of vessels 
built  before  2000,  and  ill-equipped  to  deal  with  the  planned  transition  to  zero-emission 
mobility.11 Yet, as underscored by the Sustainable and Smart Mobility Strategy, all transport 
modes,  including  inland  waterway  transport,  will  be  required  to  significantly  reduce  their 
dependence on fossil fuels and better internalise external costs, for instance by implementing 
‘polluter  pays’  and  ‘user  pays’  principles,  in  order  to  meet  our  climate  neutrality  and  zero 
pollution ambitions by 2050. Renewing barge fleets and improving access to renewable and 
alternative low-carbon fuels will require substantial investments that will only happen if the 
right supportive EU frameworks are in place. 

Finally, a stronger inland navigation sector also needs to be able to offer quality jobs, career 
opportunities and high social, safety and security standards to attract well-trained people.  

2. 

INLAND WATERWAY TRANSPORT ACTION PLAN FOR 2021-2027  

In order to address the challenges faced by the inland waterway transport sector  and deliver 
on  the  objectives  of  the  European  Green  Deal  and  the  Sustainable  and  Smart  Mobility 
Strategy, the Commission is now putting forward an  ‘Inland Waterway Transport Action 
Plan 2021-2027’, in line with the new multiannual financial framework and focusing on two 
core  objectives:  shifting  more  freight  transport  to  inland  waterways,  and  setting  the 
sector  on  an  irreversible  path  to  zero-emissions,  underpinned  by  a  paradigm  shift 
towards further digitalisation, as well as accompanying measures to support the current 
and future workforce. Meeting these core objectives will require an integrated approach and 
a  basket  of  measures  incorporating  transport,  environmental,  digital,  energy  and  fiscal 

8 Enshrined in the EU’s Combined Transport Directive (Council Directive 92/106/EEC). 
9 Roughly 80 % of the fleet is operated by owner-operators. 
10 https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:52013DC0623&from=EN  
11 EU Market Observatory: https://inland-navigation-market.org/  

EN 

2 

EN 

 
                                                           
policies, backed up with financial incentives12, as indicated below and further detailed in the 
Annex – Action Plan. Eight flagships have been identified. 

Shifting more freight transport to inland waterways 

2.1. 
The EU’s inland waterway network spans 25 Member States13 with about 41,000 kilometres 
of inland waterways. Every year, these serve to transport around 150 billion tonne-kilometres 
of cargo, carried by about 15,000 cargo vessels, while some 3,000 day-trip passenger vessels 
and 430 cruise vessels (>12 passengers) are in operation14.  

The potential for increasing the modal share of inland waterway transport is significant, and 
this  would  also  have  a  positive  effect  on  greenhouse  gas  (GHG)  emissions.  However, 
substantially increasing volumes carried by inland waterway transport can only happen if the 
sector:  (i)  is  able  to  provide  sufficiently  efficient,  reliable,  and  safe  navigation  conditions, 
across borders and over time; (ii) is adequately connected – both physically and digitally – to 
other  transport  modes;  (iii)  is  able  to  compete  on  a  level  playing  field  with  other  transport 
modes; and (iv) has an internal market that is well-functioning. 

2.1.1.  Fit-for-future infrastructure for optimised navigation  

The  use  of  the  EU’s  inland  waterway  network  is  currently  not  optimised  due  to  the  lack  of 
coherent  infrastructure  and  fairway  quality  assurance.  First  and  foremost,  river  navigation 
depends on precipitation and adequate water levels for its operations. Droughts and floods can 
severely  disrupt  transport  activities  by:  temporarily  blocking  waterway  sections,  imposing 
restrictions  on  the  amounts  of  loads  transported,  and  requiring  additional  vessels  to 
compensate  reduced  load  factors,  or  even  a  shift  to  other  modes.  Such  disruptions 
significantly hinder the capacity of inland waterway transport to attract more freight volumes 
away  from  road  transport.  And  as  a  consequence  of  climate  change,  such  weather-related 
disruptions will occur more often15, with waterborne transport services and infrastructure on 
the front line. 

Flagship 1: Helping waterway managers to ensure a high level of service (Good Navigation 
Status) along EU inland waterway corridors by 31 December 2030 

While  calling  on  Member  States  to  step  up  fairway  rehabilitation  and  maintenance 
efforts in order to uphold and improve navigation conditions, the Commission will  give 
more  support  for  projects16  aimed  at  completing  and  upgrading  the  inland  waterway 
TEN-T  network  and  addressing  bottlenecks,  with  a  particular  focus  on  inland 
waterways 
that  require  strong  coordination  between  Member  States  and  adequate 
governance. The European Parliament17 invited the Commission to ensure stricter oversight of 
the  implementation  of  the  TEN-T  by  reinforcing  relevant  instruments  and  the  role  of  the 
European  coordinators  in  the  governance  of  the  corridors,  with  a  focus  on  inland  waterway 
cross-border  projects.  The  Commission  will  therefore  consider  to  propose  a  dedicated 
cooperation framework for inland waterway transport within the revision of the TEN-T 
Regulation, which will enable Member States to better coordinate cross-border actions 
and projects.  

12 IT development and procurement choices will be subject to pre-approval by the European Commission Information Technology and 

Cybersecurity Board 

13 Thirteen Member States have interconnected networks 
14 EU and Switzerland 
15 Conclusion of the CCNR workshop on low water levels on the Rhine. 
16 Under CEF2 and Horizon Europe. 
17 https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/TRAN-PR-646914_EN.html?redirect 

EN 

3 

EN 

 
 
                                                           
Furthermore,  as  part  of  the  TEN-T  Regulation18  revision  in  2021,  the  Commission  will 
assess  whether  a  harmonised  definition  of  the  Good  Navigation  Status19  is  needed,  and 
whether  certain  specific  requirements  should  be  extended  throughout  the  core  network,  in 
order to fully grasp network benefits. To reflect the heterogeneous hydro-morphology and the 
associated systems  of different  inland waterways stretches and the specific features of these 
different  stretches20, in  particular the free flowing  sections, requirements  could  be  agreed at 
river  basin/corridor  level.  In  particular,  it  will  be  assessed  whether  the  quality  and 
predictability  of  navigation  conditions  could  be  improved  through  a  goal-based  approach, 
allowing some flexibility with the requirements for specific and limited waterway stretches21 
such as the depth of fairways and clearances under bridges, in full respect of  environmental 
policies and legislation22. 

Helping waterway managers to ensure Good Navigation Status will also require the roll-out of 
smart  infrastructure,  operations  and  maintenance  systems  that  enable  the  early  detection  (or 
prediction)  of  bottlenecks  and  a  return  to  required  service  levels  with  the  least  possible 
physical  intervention,  thereby  lowering  costs  as  well  as  environmental  impacts.  A  key 
precondition to this is to establish an improved digital information base (‘cartography’) of the 
actual  status  of  the  critical  waterway  locations.  Through  the  Connecting  Europe  Facility 
(CEF),  the  Commission  will  support  measures  that  help  to  achieve  Good  Navigation 
Status,  such  as  deploying  cross-disciplinary  digital  information  and  operation  systems 
for water and waterway management.  

Moreover,  the  greater  frequency  of  low-water  events  will  require  a  faster  development  and 
roll-out  of  innovative,  climate-adaptable  vessels23  able  to  sail  with  low  water  levels  while 
minimising  impacts  on  aquatic  ecosystems.  Horizon  Europe24  will  provide  support  to 
adapt  fleets  to  future  environmental,  climate,  and  safety  requirements  and  to  develop 
and test new methods of transport infrastructure maintenance and upgrades in order to 
improve  safety,  climate  resilience  and  environmental  impact  (including  air  and  water 
pollution and biodiversity) and accommodate evolving transport modes. 

2.1.2. 

Seamless integration into multimodal mobility and logistics systems  

Making  inland  waterways  more  reliable  as  a  means  of  transport  requires  action  beyond  the 
waterways.  By 2030, the European inland waterway network  can and must  be connected  as 
much  as  possible  –  both  physically  and  digitally  –  to  other  transport  modes.  Yet  today, 
interoperability  between  inland  ports  and  hinterland  connections  remains  an  issue,  and  the 
number of multi-modal platforms and transhipment nodes is insufficient25. 
The Commission will give more support for projects26 aimed at improving the quality of 
inland  ports  infrastructure  and  their  multimodal  connections  to  rail,  road  and  sea27 
through  dedicated  terminals.  A  key  focus  will  also  be  placed  on  projects  in  urban  nodes 

18 REGULATION (EU) No 1315/2013 OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of 11 December 2013 on Union 

guidelines for the development of the trans-European transport network. 

19 The Good Navigation Status is a concept for improving European waterways so they are part of a sustainable transport system serving the 

needs of the EU internal market.  
Good Navigation Status means that the state of the inland navigation transport network enables efficient, reliable and safe navigation for 
users by ensuring, besides minimum waterway requirements, additional requirements which may be defined at river basin/corridor level 
while respecting applicable environmental rules and considering the wider socio-economic sustainability of waterway management. 

20 Including the specificities of associated ecosystems 
21 The minimum requirements on draught (2.50 m) and on height under bridges (5.25 m). 
22 Water Framework and Habitat Directives. 
23 Including zero-emission vessels. 
24  HORIZON-CL5-2021-D6-01-09:  Climate  resilient  and  environmentally  sustainable  transport  infrastructure,  with  a  focus  on  inland 

waterways. 

25 TEN-T corridors work plans:  https://ec.europa.eu/transport/themes/infrastructure/downloads_en 
26 Under CEF2 and Horizon Europe. 
27 HORIZON-CL5-2021-D6-01-07: ‘More efficient and effective multimodal freight transport nodes to increase flexibility, service visibility 

and reduce the average cost of freight transport’ addresses this issue. It is open to all types of nodes, including IWT ports. 

EN 

4 

EN 

 
                                                           
where  inland waterways can  help  to  green  the  last  mile  of  city  logistics.  Horizon  Europe28 
will  also  help  develop  new  solutions  for  smart  and  connected  mobility  and  improved 
integration  of  inland  waterways  with  broader  transport  infrastructure  and  energy 
systems. 

Appropriate  waterway  conditions  and  seamless  multimodal  integration  will  be  essential  for 
waterway  managers  to  manage  their  planning  in  case  of  disruptions,  and  for  making  IWT 
more resilient to  crisis  situations, such as the one created by the COVID-19 pandemic. The 
Commission will prepare a transport contingency plan to ensure business continuity in 
the  face  of  major  disruptive  events,  by  securing  coordinated  policy  responses,  based  on  the 
experience  with 
legislations  developed  during  the  COVID-19 
pandemic. When developing this plan, the Commission should take into account the relative 
resilience of the IWT sector as regards the transport of goods. 

the guidelines  and 

Flagship 2: Updating the EU’s legal framework for intermodal transport to stimulate IWT  

The Combined Transport Directive is  currently the only EU legal  instrument  that directly 
supports  intermodal  transport.  The  Commission  will  use  its  upcoming  revision  to  fully 
integrate  inland  waterways  as  an  essential  component  of  intermodal  transport.  The 
existing  regulatory  framework  should  be  turned  into  an  effective  tool  to  support 
multimodal  freight  operations  involving  rail,  inland  waterway  transport  and  short-sea 
shipping29.  

2.1.3.  Boosting the uptake of more sustainable transport modes  

A  significant  barrier  to  the  uptake  of  inland  waterways  remains  the  lack  of  a  level  playing 
field across transport modes when it comes to their environmental performance. 

To  that  end,  the  Commission  will  present  a  comprehensive  set  of  measures  –  including 
emissions trading, infrastructure charges, energy taxes, to ensure that the ‘polluter pays’ and 
‘user  pays’  principles  are  implemented  across  all  transport  modes.  This  should  support  the 
shift to more sustainable forms of transport such as inland waterways. 

A  significant  barrier  is  also  the  lack  of  easily  available  and  reliable  information  to  support 
sustainable transport choices, despite the increasing interest  of consumers and businesses in 
greener  solutions30.  As  set  out  in  the  Sustainable  and  Smart  Mobility  Strategy,  the 
Commission will therefore establish an EU framework for the harmonised measurement 
and  reporting  of  emissions  from  logistics  and  transport,  which  could  then  be  used  to 
provide  businesses  and  end-users  with  an  estimate  of  the  carbon  footprint  of  their 
choices,  and  increase  the  demand  for  more  sustainable  options,  including inland 
waterways where feasible.  

2.1.4.  A well-functioning inland waterways internal market 

Improving the functioning and efficiency of the EU inland waterways market and stimulating 
the offer of sustainable inland waterway transport services and operations can help boost the 
sector’s attractiveness in relation to other modes.  

Today, much of the EU legislation on accessing and organising the inland waterways market 
dates  from  between  the  1960s  and  1990s.  The  legislation  does  not  take  into  account  the 
European Union’s geographical extension, nor does it address the more  recent challenges of 

28  HORIZON-CL5-2021-D6-01-09:  Climate  resilient  and  environmentally  sustainable  transport  infrastructure,  with  a  focus  on  inland 

waterways. 

29 Council Directive 92/106/EEC of 7 December 1992 on the establishment of common rules for certain types of combined transport of goods 

between Member States, OJ L 368, 17.12.1992, p. 38. 

30 LEARN project http://www.learnproject.net/ and e.g. D2.4  Guidelines for validation and reporting of  emissions, including the eco-label 
blueprint updated following testing. Beyond the project, the coordinator is now supporting the definition of a standard related to the GLEC 
framework https://www.smartfreightcentre.org/en/how-to-implement-items/what-is-glec-framework/58/. 

EN 

5 

EN 

 
                                                           
inland navigation and of the transport sector more generally. The European Commission has 
been reviewing the legislation on market access to inland waterway transport31 to ensure 
that  it  is  fit-for-purpose  and  to  ensure  the  smooth  and  fair  functioning  of  the  internal 
market. 
Although  Directive  (EU)  2016/162932  introduced  harmonised  requirements  for  inland 
waterway  vessels,  differences  in  implementing  the  requirements  for  carrying  out  vessel 
inspections  and  issuing  certificates  by  national  authorities  may  affect  the  single  market  in 
terms of safety and level playing field between vessel owners.  

The Commission will therefore also start reviewing Directive (EU) 2016/1629 in order to 
further improve harmonisation, maintaining a level playing field and guaranteeing high 
levels  of  safety  in  inland  navigation,  especially  with  the  introduction  of  innovative  and 
low-emission vessels. 

2.2. 

Transitioning to zero-emission inland waterway transport 

Despite its strong environmental record compared to other transport modes, it is nonetheless 
crucial that inland waterway transport quickly embarks on a pathway to zero greenhouse gas 
emissions by 2050, if it is to remain competitive and sustainable. This concerns both the fleet 
and the infrastructure, including ports and their operations. 

2.2.1.  Towards a zero-emissions fleet 

Given  the  age  structure  of  the  fleet,  considerable  investment  will  be  needed  to  ensure  that 
vessels  meet  environmental,  climate  and  safety  requirements  in  line  with  the  increased 
ambition of the European Green Deal. However, the predominance of small owner-operators, 
the vast diversity of shipping solutions and hydro-morphological conditions across EU inland 
waterways, the lack of market-ready low-carbon alternative fuels, as well as the challenging 
economic situation mean that the sector faces numerous barriers to investing and organising 
itself to implement sector-wide innovative solutions.  
The  newly  established  Zero-Emissions  Waterborne  Partnership33  will  promote  research 
in zero-emission vessels technology, innovative propulsion systems and sustainable fuels, 
also  in  close  collaboration  with  the  Battery  Alliance,  the  European  Clean  Hydrogen 
Alliance and the Renewable and Low-Carbon Fuels Value Chain Alliance. 

But the greening of the inland waterway fleet should also be promoted through regulatory and 
financial  incentives  to  ensure  and  speed  up  the  deployment  of  affordable  zero-emissions 
vessels  and  related  low-carbon  fuels  and  infrastructure.  Innovative  solutions  should  also 
promote the reduction of air and water pollutant emissions in order to reach the objectives of 
the Zero Pollution Action Plan.34 

In  addition  to  ensuring  the  full  implementation  of  Regulation  (EU)  2016/1628  on  pollutant 
emissions  from  non-road  mobile  machinery35,  the  Commission  will  assess  the  need  for 
further legislative  measures to promote  the uptake of zero-emissions vessels. As a first 
step, an agreed EU energy index methodology36 is needed for monitoring and reporting 

31https://ec.europa.eu/info/law/better-regulation/have-your-say/initiatives/11874-Fitness-check-on-market-access-in-Inland-waterway-

transport 

32 Directive (EU) 2016/1629 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 14 September 2016 laying down technical requirements for 

inland waterway vessels, amending Directive 2009/100/EC and repealing Directive 2006/87/EC, OJ L 252, 16.9.2016, p. 118. 

33 Budget of EUR 530 million. 
34 Communication from the Commission :” Towards Zero Pollution for Air, Water and Soil”, COM(2021) 400final 
35 Regulation (EU) 2016/1628 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 14 September 2016 on requirements relating to gaseous and 
particulate  pollutant  emission  limits  and  type-approval  for  internal  combustion  engines  for  non-road  mobile  machinery,  OJ  L  252, 
16.9.2016, p. 53. 

36 In collaboration with the Horizon Europe zero-emission waterborne transport partnership and the H2020 Platina III project.  

EN 

6 

EN 

 
 
                                                           
carbon  intensity  of  inland  waterway  vessels37.  This  will  serve  to  define  carbon  intensity 
reduction targets and draw up a technology roadmap38 for the deployment of zero-emissions 
shipping by 2050.  

Flagship 3: Speeding up certification procedures for innovative and low-emission vessels 

The Commission will also assess how best to facilitate and speed up the safe testing and 
certification  of  innovative  and  low-emission  vessels  when  reviewing  Directive  (EU) 
2016/1629. Various programmes such as Horizon Europe, CEF, LIFE or regional funds could 
consider  launching  pilot  projects  to  test  innovative  and  low-emissions  vessels  in  order  to 
develop supportive enabling regulatory frameworks. 

Financial  opportunities,  in  particular  for  smaller  operators,  should  be  facilitated  by  public 
authorities  at  regional  and  national  levels,  by  the  river  commissions,  as  well  as  at  EU  level 
through  funding  instruments  such  as  InvestEU  or  CEF39.  Furthermore,  synergies  between 
small  operators  could  be  pursued,  for  instance  through  joint  purchasing,  joint  innovation 
actions  or  further  consolidation.  The  galvanising  role  of  the  Inland  Waterway  Transport 
Platform40 will be crucial in this regard. 

The Central  Commission for the Navigation of the Rhine  (CCNR) is  currently  coordinating 
studies  assessing  alternative  fuels  technologies  for  inland  vessels  and  the  most  suitable 
financial instruments for supporting those technologies.  The Commission, taking into account 
these studies, will consider under what conditions EU financial instruments can support those 
technological pathways that are compatible with the ambition of the European Green Deal. 

The  Commission  will  further  encourage  the  take-up  of  renewable  low-carbon  fuels  through 
tax incentives in the revision of the Energy Taxation Directive.  The revised Energy Taxation 
Directive  will  promote  the  shift  to  less  polluting  fuels  in  inland  waterway  transport  by 
introducing a harmonised EU minimum rate for the fuels used in inland waterway transport 
according  to  their  environmental  performance.  This  tax  will  also  incentivise  energy 
efficiencies.  

The  European  Commission  has  recently  published  State  aid-guiding  templates  to  help 
Member States in designing their national plans under the Recovery and Resilience Facility41, 
providing  guidance  on  public  support  to  inland  waterway  transport42.  In  addition,  in  the 
context of the revision of the Community guidelines on State aid for railway undertakings4344, 
the Commission aims to streamline the existing compatibility rules on aid for the coordination 
of  transport.  Based  on  the  existing  case  practice  of  aid  measures  supporting  a  modal  shift 
from  road  to  more  sustainable  transport  modes,  the  impact  assessment  will  explore  the 
possibility  to  extend  the  scope  of  the  Railway  Guidelines  to  cover  all  land  transport 
operators that can contribute to the modal  shift, including inland waterway operators, 
as well as the possibility to exempt from the prior notification obligation those State aid 

37 Similar to the maritime Energy Efficiency Design Index. 
38 H2020 CSA Platina III will make a technology roadmap, built on the CCNR technology roadmap currently in preparation. Platina III will 

also propose a CO2 methodology or Horizon Europe for the sector.  

39 Zero-emission vessels are eligible under the CEF 2 work programme for 2021-2024. 
40  The  IWT  Platform  was  created  by  the  European  Barge  Union  (EBU)  and  European  Skipper’s  Organisation  (ESO)  with  reserve  funds 
(COUNCIL  REGULATION  (EC)  No  718/1999  of  29  March  1999  on  a  Community-fleet  capacity  policy  to  promote  inland  waterway 
transport). One of the aims of the IWT Platform is to promote the greening of the sector. The platform is monitored by Austria, Belgium, 
Germany, France and the Netherlands.  

41 Regulation (EU) 2021/241 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 12 February 2021 establishing the Recovery and Resilience 

Facility, OJ L 57, 18.2.2021, p. 17. 

42 https://ec.europa.eu/competition/state_aid/what_is_new/template_RFF_low_emission_transport_modes.pdf 
43  Communication  from  the  Commission  —  Community  guidelines  on  State  aid  for  railway  undertakings  (“railway  guidelines”),  2008/C 

184/07, OJ C 184, 22.7.2008, p. 13. 

44  The  findings  of  the  fitness  check  of  the  railway  guidelines  conducted  by  the  Commission  in  2019  and  2020  are  available  at: 
https://ec.europa.eu/info/law/better-regulation/have-your-say/initiatives/2044-Fitness-check-of-2012-State-aid-modernisation-package-
railways-guidelines-and-short-term-export-credit-insurance. 

EN 

7 

EN 

 
                                                           
 
measures  which  involve  a  limited  risk  of  competition  distortion.  Finally,  the  revision  of 
the Guidelines on State aid  for environmental protection and energy  will consider enlarging 
their scope to include, under certain conditions, aid for inland waterway transport, including 
the  acquisition  and  leasing  of  clean  vessels,  the  retrofitting  of  vessels,  as  well  as  the 
recharging and refuelling infrastructure that is necessary to operate those vessels.45 

2.2.2.  Greening inland waterways infrastructure and ports 

Inland waterway transport activities can exert pressure on aquatic ecosystems, mainly due to 
modifications in the hydro-morphology of rivers, fragmentation of ecosystems, disruption of 
ecological flows, or pollution of water and sediment (e.g. from illegal discharges of oil waste, 
hazardous substances, or sewage and garbage from ships, as well as from ballast waters). And 
while  efficient  ports  are  vital  to  the  performance  of  inland  waterway  transport  and  to  the 
socio-economic  development  of  their  hinterland,  the  related  ship  traffic,  cargo-handling 
activities  and  land-based  hinterland  connections  can  have  a  negative  impact  on  the 
environment and the people living in close proximity (e.g. pollution and noise).  

An  integrated  approach  is  therefore  essential  when  considering  future  inland  waterway 
transport  infrastructure  developments,  taking  into  account  transport  needs  but  also 
environmental and societal concerns, as well as the multiple functions of waterways and ports 
in terms of regional economic development, water supply, energy generation and biodiversity.  

Flagship  4:  Guaranteeing  IWT  investments  take  into  account  climate  and  environmental 
objectives 

In 2021, the European Commission will adopt technical guidance on climate-proofing to 
help promoters take into account climate and environmental objectives when investing 
in transport infrastructure. Furthermore, as part of this integrated approach, the Adaptation 
Support  Tool46  may  support  the  development  of  climate  change  adaptation  strategies  and 
plans  for  inland  waterways.  The  European  Commission  also  supports  a  better  integration 
between  the  Water  Framework  Directive  and  navigation  policies,  by  providing  support  for 
integrated  planning  of  inland  waterways  and  a  better  implementation  of  the  environmental 
legislation.  

Inland ports as well are an essential part of the EU’s transport backbone along the core Trans-
European  Transport  (TEN-T)  network,  acting  as  significant  logistics  and  transport  nodes  in 
the  supply  chain  and  contributing  to  socio-economic  development  in  those  regions.  The 
hinterland  links  that  inland  navigation  provides  has  enabled  many  of  the  EU’s  largest 
maritime  ports  to  become  the  logistical  hubs  they  are  today.  The  Sustainable  and  Smart 
Mobility  Strategy  notes  the  great  potential  for  inland  ports  to  become  zero-emission  nodes, 
acting  not  only  as  ‘transport  interfaces’  but  as  hubs  for  sustainable  mobility  and  industry, 
clean  energy  and  circular  economy  development.  This  will  require  ports  to  identify  and 
implement  new,  environmentally-friendly  and  sustainable  solutions  –  including  energy 
efficiency,  environmental  strategies  and  monitoring  tools  –  supporting  the  transition  to 
renewable  energy  and  zero-emission  operations.  The  best  practices  followed  by  the  most 
sustainable ports should become the norm and enable more sustainable forms of connectivity. 
The Commission will launch a study47 on the impacts that the port activities of selected 
river and sea ports can have on the environment. The study will develop and implement 
specific  tools,  such  as  Environmental  Management  Systems,  as  well  as  port-specific 
action  plans  creating  a  nucleus  for  wide-scale  roll-out  of  environmentally  sustainable 
port management and operations.  

45 https://ec.europa.eu/competition-policy/public-consultations/2021-ceeag_en  
46 Climate-ADAPT: https://climate-adapt.eea.europa.eu/ 
47 European Parliament pilot Study – Enabling sustainable Management and Development of Ports in the Rhine Main-Danube basin. 

EN 

8 

EN 

 
                                                           
The  substantial  deployment  of  clean  energy  solutions  and  sustainable  alternative  fuels  in 
inland  ports  and  along  key  inland  waterway  corridors  will  also  be  key  to  greening  inland 
waterway  transport.  The  Commission’s  report  on  the  application  of  Directive  2014/94/EU48 
shows  that  the  deployment  of  alternative  fuels  along  the  TEN-T  inland  waterway  transport 
core network is very limited.  

Flagship 5: Developing inland ports as multimodal alternative fuels infrastructure hubs 
The Commission will propose a revision of the AFID49 in 2021, with the aim of ensuring 
that  the  necessary  recharging  and  refuelling  infrastructure  for  zero-emission  vessels  is 
deployed in inland ports by 2030. As part of this revision, the Commission will assess how 
air quality in ports can be further improved, for instance, by making  on-shore power supply 
available so that vessels are able to turn off their engines while at berth, with positive knock-
on  effects  for  the  health  of  nearby  residents  and  workers.  It  will  also  consider  how  inland 
ports can become crucial alternative fuels infrastructure hubs for multiple modes of transport.  
To  support  this  work,  the  Commission  will  also  request  the  European  Standardisation 
Organisation50 to work on harmonised standards for alternative fuels infrastructure for 
inland ports. 
Furthermore, specific actions through CEF51, Horizon 202052 and Horizon Europe53 will 
support  innovative  approaches  for  greening  inland  ports,  including  alternative  fuel 
infrastructure. The development of zero-emission infrastructures will also be reflected in 
the revision of the TEN-T Regulation. 

Moreover, the Commission will assess the need for harmonised rules on waste reception 
infrastructure  and  on  discharging  waste  to  appropriate  waste  reception  facilities. 
Although  a  regional  system  related  to  waste  exists  within  the  Convention  on  the  collection, 
deposit  and  reception  of  waste  generated  during  navigation  on  the  Rhine  and  other  inland 
waterways  (CDNI)54,  there  are  no  harmonised  EU  rules  preventing  water  pollution  from 
vessels.  Furthermore,  CDNI  ratification  is  on-going  for  the  ban  on  degassing  from  inland 
vessels to reduce emissions of volatile organic compounds. A Commission assessment of the 
needs  could  therefore  also  address  degassing  infrastructure,  which  should  receive 
support from various EU funding programmes, notably CEF. 

Finally,  inland  ports  are  often  situated  near  city  centres  and  are  key  for  intermodal 
connectivity  for  urban  logistics.  Inland  waterway  transport  also  has  the  potential  to  be  an 
integral  part of urban public transport in many  cities, supporting  road congestion  reduction.   
Both aspects will be tackled in the new EU urban mobility framework, an initiative planned 
for  2021  and  aimed  at,  among  other  things,  more  sustainable  urban  mobility  planning 
(SUMP),  including  in  relation  to  urban  logistics.  The  Commission  will  look  to  facilitate  a 
better  integration  of  inland  waterway  passenger  services  in  multimodal  digital  mobility 
services,  by  considering  the  inclusion  of  the  inland  waterway  transport  in  the  scope  of 
the  Delegated  Regulation  (EU)  2017/1926  on  multimodal  travel  information  services55 
and in the initiative addressing market challenges for the development of multimodal digital 
mobility services56. 

48 COM (2021)103 final. 
49  Directive  2014/94/EU  of  the  European  Parliament  and  of  the  Council  of  22  October  2014  on  the  deployment  of  alternative  fuels 

infrastructure, OJ L 307, 28.10.2014, p. 1. 

50 CEN/CENELEC & ETSI. 
51 General calls and the Alternative fuel blending facility. 
52 GREEN PORTS call- topic 5.1.  
53 Destination 6 ‘Safe, Resilient Transport and Smart Mobility services for passengers and goods’. 
54 https://www.cdni-iwt.org/  
55 Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2017/1926 of 31 May 2017 supplementing Directive 2010/40/EU of the European Parliament and 

of the Council with regard to the provision of EU-wide multimodal travel information services, OJ L 272, 21.10.2017, p. 1. 

56 Action 37 of the Sustainable and Smart Mobility Strategy. 

EN 

9 

EN 

 
                                                           
2.3. 

Smart inland waterway transport 

It is imperative for the inland waterway transport sector to keep up with digital developments 
to improve the sector’s competitiveness and ensure that it becomes an active part of broader 
multimodal  chains57.  Further  digitalisation  can  play  a  significant  role  in  improving  the 
efficiency  and  reliability  of  navigation  and  traffic  management,  better  integrating  inland 
waterway  transport  in  logistics  processes  and  multimodal  chains,  and  reducing  the 
administrative burden and costs of complying with and enforcing legislation58. 

Since 2005, steps have been taken to support the deployment of harmonised river information 
services  (RIS)  to  enable  seamless  transport  and  traffic  management  on  European  inland 
waterways59.  The  RIS  Directive  has  been  one  of  the  main  drivers  of  digitalisation  in  the 
inland waterway transport sector through the introduction of information and communication 
technologies. The evaluation of Directive 2005/44/EC on RIS60 found that the Directive has 
provided  a  strong  impulse  to  standardise  and  harmonise  river  information  services  across 
Europe  and  improve  safety.  However,  it  also  highlighted  that  full  harmonisation  and 
interoperability of RIS is  yet to  be  achieved,  given that Member States and river basins are 
implementing the services at  different  speeds and that the data varies in quality. To support 
the  objective  of  inland  waterways  being  part  of  a  seamless  system  of  harmonised  RIS  by 
2030, revisions of the legal framework on RIS will aim to help close these harmonisation and 
interoperability gaps, and contribute to improved data availability, reuse and interoperability, 
in line with the European Data Strategy61.  

The  revision  of  RIS  also  needs  to  take  into  consideration  new  requirements  arising  from 
emerging  challenges  and  take  into  account  the  digital  transformations  occurring  in  the 
sector62.  For  instance,  RIS  should  play  a  key  role  as  a  data  source  feeding  into  the  future 
European  mobility  data  space63,  thereby  facilitating  the  integration  of  inland  waterway 
transport  into  multimodal  mobility  and  logistics  chains.  This  means  that  to  ensure 
interoperability,  the  technical  specifications  for  RIS  will  have  to  constantly  evolve. 
Streamlined revision cycles for these technical specifications in the European Committee for 
Standards in the field of inland navigation (CESNI)64 could make it easier for RIS to evolve 
towards  smart  shipping  and  interoperability  with  the  mobility  data  space  and  help  with  the 
sector’s digital transformation in light of the synchromodal65 developments in transport.  

With this in mind, the Commission has started preparations for a possible revision of the 
RIS Directive in 2022. In order to complete RIS deployment by 2030, the Commission is 
also  calling  on  Member  States  to  further  implement  smart  traffic  and  transport 
management  solutions  in  inland  waterway  transport,  with  a  specific  focus  on 
harmonised  corridor  management  based  on  RIS.  This  can  be  supported  via  continued 
funding through CEF financial support for a permanent operational structure set up to 
provide a single point of access for RIS-based corridor information services66. 

57 https://ec.europa.eu/transport/sites/transport/files/studies/2017-10-dina.pdf 
58 COMMISSION STAFF WORKING DOCUMENT on Digital Inland Navigation, SWD(2018) 427 final: 
59 Directive 2005/44/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 7 September 2005 on harmonised river information services (RIS) 

on inland waterways in the Community, OJ L 255, 30.9.2005, p. 152. 

60  COMMISSION  STAFF  WORKING  DOCUMENT  EVALUATION  of  the  Directive  2005/44/EC  on  Harmonised  River  Information 

Services (RIS), SWD(2021) 50 final. 

61 A European Strategy for Data, COM(2020) 66 final. 
62 Digital ship operator platforms, port information systems, synchromodality, corridor management, smart shipping, and inland waterways 

autonomous ships. 

63 https://ec.europa.eu/digital-single-market/en/european-strategy-data 
64 https://www.cesni.eu/en/about-cesni/  
65  ‘Synchronizing  intermodal  services  between  modes  and  with  shippers  with  different  speeds  and  lead  times,  (referred  to  as 
Synchromodality),  aligning  equipment  and  services  on  corridors  and  hubs  and  integrating  these  into  networks.’  Alliance  for  Logistics 
Innovation through Collaboration in Europe, https://www.etp-logistics.eu/?page_id=79 

66 CEF 2 technical assistance starting in 2024. 

EN 

10 

EN 

 
                                                           
More  broadly,  the  sector  needs  an  integrated  and  operationalised  vision  for  the  digital 
transformation of current traffic and transport-related business models and processes in order 
to  make  it  a  stronger  player  in  the  synchromodal  supply  chain  but  also  to  integrate  game-
changing  technologies  such  as  autonomous  inland  waterway  transport,  which  is  still  at  the 
early stages of development due to both technical and regulatory challenges.  

Flagship 6: A roadmap for digitalisation and automation of IWT  

The  Commission  will  facilitate  the  elaboration  of  a  holistic  vision  for  the  sector’s 
to  existing 
digitalisation  and  automation,  also 
regulations,  with  the  contribution  of  the  Digital  Inland  Navigation  Area  (DINA)67, 
NAIADES68  and  Digital  Transport  and  Logistics  Forum  (DTLF)69  Expert  Groups,  and 
supported by the Horizon 2020 Platina III project that started in January 2021.  

identifying  necessary  adjustments 

A CEF technical assistance project will also be launched to develop closer public-private 
cooperation in IWT and facilitate the implementation of such a vision across all navigable 
EU river basins.  

The  Commission  will  also  support  the  development,  demonstration  and  deployment  of 
holistic,  smart  and  automated  shipping  concepts  through  Horizon  Europe  and  CEF70, 
with a focus on the most promising applications in terms of feasibility and commercialisation, 
as  well  as  in  terms  of  environmental  benefits.  For  instance,  through  Horizon  Europe  the 
Commission  will  support  the  development  of  an  autonomous  freight  feeder  loop  service 
which is suitable for specific commercial applications and can provide an integrated, reliable, 
resilient, predictable and fully automated service, giving priority to zero GHG and pollutant 
emissions71. 

2.4.  More attractive and sustainable jobs in inland waterway transport  

Approximately 44,000 people work on inland vessels, of which 60% in  goods transport and 
40%  in  passenger  transport.  Like  other  modes  of  transport,  the  inland  waterway  transport 
sector  suffers  from  a  lack  of  attractiveness,  in  particular  for  young  people  and  women. 
Atypical working conditions and lack of information appear to be among the main causes72. 

The  Commission  will  support  the  collection  and  dissemination  of  information  on  a 
regular  basis  on  the  labour  market  structure  through  the  inland  waterway  transport 
market  observatory73.  This  information  is  intended  to  help  Member  States  to  take 
relevant  measures  to  counter  the  lack  of  qualified  personnel  in  the  sector  and  in  their 
administrations  and  encourage  more  young  people  and  women  to  seek  a  professional 
qualification in inland navigation74. 

The cross-border nature of many work contracts in the sector can also make it challenging for 
companies and workers alike to identify the applicable labour laws and social security rules. 
Complex  and  multiple  rules  combined  with  discrepancies  in  their  implementation  and 
ineffective enforcement can give rise to precarious employment practices. Besides clarifying 
the  rules  applicable  to  inland  waterway  transport,  there  is  a  need  to  evaluate  the  legal 
framework  for  the  inland  waterway  transport  sector,  in  particular  the  enforcement  of  the 

67 https://ec.europa.eu/transparency/regexpert/index.cfm?do=groupDetail.groupDetail&groupID=3505&NewSearch=1&NewSearch=1  
68 https://ec.europa.eu/transparency/regexpert/index.cfm?do=groupDetail.groupDetail&groupID=3497&NewSearch=1&NewSearch=1  
69 Digital Transport and Logistics Forum: https://www.dtlf.eu/  
70 Subject to the provisions of the respective regulations 
71 Essential for zero-emission ships since the range is smaller than diesel vessel. 
72 https://ec.europa.eu/transport/themes/social/studies/social_en 
73 EU Market Observatory: https://inland-navigation-market.org/ 
74 https://ec.europa.eu/transparency/regexpert/index.cfm?do=groupDetail.groupMeetingDoc&docid=3814  

EN 

11 

EN 

 
 
                                                           
working time rules, the legislation on social security75 and posting, and look at how the rules 
are actually implemented by Member States. In this context, there is a need to reflect on how 
to achieve greater harmonisation on key concepts that play a role in ensuring a genuine link 
between  the  owner/operator  of  the  company  and  workers’  rights.  The  Commission  will 
therefore perform a market access fitness check to evaluate the EU social security76  and 
posting77  legal  frameworks  for  the  sector  and  will  examine  ways  to  support  Member 
States  in  enforcing  the  relevant  legislation  and  in  improving  information  exchange 
among enforcement authorities. 

Cross-border  operators  must  also  fulfil  various  requirements  to  ensure  safe  navigation.  The 
current national crewing requirements were designed for the fleet of the previous generation, 
and do not take account of new technologies and working practices that modify the workload 
aboard.  The  sector  needs78  a  forward-looking  and  flexible legal  framework  at  EU  level  that 
establishes  crewing  requirements  supported  by  a  reliable,  real-time,  digital  controlling 
capacity.  Such  digital  tools  could  also  be  used  to  verify  compliance  with  Directive 
2014/112/EU79, which establishes working time arrangements for  inland waterway transport 
employees.  These  on-board  digital  tools  for  recording  and  exchanging  information  on  crew 
and vessels could at the same time improve the functioning of the inland waterway transport 
market,  minimise  the  administrative  burden  and  increase  the  uptake  and  acceptance  of 
electronic documents/solutions.  

Flagship 7: Smart and flexible EU crewing rules   

The Commission will assess the need for legislative initiatives for on-board digital tools 
for  recording  and  exchanging  information  on crews  and  vessels,  as  well  as  on  crewing 
requirements for better harmonisation at EU level. 

The current and future workforce needs to be equipped with the right skills to deal with the 
green  and  digital  transitions,  cyber-security,  synchromodality  and  the  automation  of  vessels 
and infrastructure. Policies for lifelong learning need to be developed so that new technology 
can be introduced in  a smooth and safe manner. Digitalisation  and automation  in  the sector 
could  also  create new opportunities for women. To produce innovative outputs or exchange 
best  practices,  participation  in  transnational  exchange  programmes  and  the  development  of 
sectoral cooperation on skills should be encouraged.  

The  Commission  therefore  encourages  Member  States  and  the  sector  to  engage  in  the 
European  sectoral  social  dialogue  to  help  implement  the  European  Skills  Agenda80  for 
sustainable  competitiveness,  social  fairness,  equal  opportunities  and  resilience,  in 
particular by building up a lifelong learning strategy and by participating actively in the 
European Vocational Skills Week. It will also mandate CESNI to prepare standards for 
skills  for  alternative  fuels  operations  and  for  environment-friendly  and  efficient  vessel 
operation (eco navigation). 

In the context of the relevant policies outlined in the present Communication, the Commission 
will  continue  to  cooperate  with  the  social  partners,  in  particular  through  targeted  dialogue 
within the Sectoral Social Dialogue Committee for Inland Waterway Transport. 

75 Scope of the evaluation limited to the Derogation Agreement on determination of legislation applicable to Rhine boatmen concluded on the 

basis of Article 16(1) of Regulation (EC) 883/2004 on the coordination of the social security systems. 

76 Scope of the evaluation limited to the Derogation Agreement on determination of legislation applicable to Rhine boatmen concluded on the 

basis of Article 16(1) of Regulation (EC) 883/2004 on the coordination of the social security systems. 

77 Posting of Workers Directive (96/71/EC) and its enforcement directive (2014/67/UE) 
78 EBU, ESO, the European Transport Federation (ETF) and Aquapol.  
79  COUNCIL  DIRECTIVE  2014/112/EU  of  19  December  2014  implementing  the  European  Agreement  concerning  certain  aspects  of  the 

organisation of working time in inland waterway transport. 

80  https://ec.europa.eu/social/main.jsp?catId=1223#:~:text=  The  European  Skills  Agenda  is  a  five-year,Pillar  of  Social  Rights:  access  to... 

More 

EN 

12 

EN 

 
                                                           
3. 

FINANCING  

The  Sustainable  and  Smart  Mobility  Strategy  recognises  the  need  to  improve  the  sector’s 
access to financing. It is estimated that it will cost some EUR 27 billion just to complete the 
TEN-T  core network for inland waterways81.  But  one of the key  challenges  for the sector’s 
modernisation will be to increase financial support for the transition to a zero-emission fleet.  

Flagship  8:  Supporting  the  sector  and  Member  States  in  the  transition  to  zero-emission 
vessels 

To  meet  this  challenge,  support  for  the  initial  deployment  of  zero-emission  vessels  and  the 
related  recharging/refuelling  infrastructure  will  be  proposed  through  the  Alternative  Fuel 
Blending  Facility  and  under  the  2021-2023  work  programme  of  the  Connecting  Europe 
Facility 2. Where possible, funding under the CEF 2 could be combined with other sources of 
funding to  achieve greater impact.  In addition,  the Commission will facilitate82 the efforts 
by  stakeholders  and  Member  States  to  create  a  fund  to  complement  EU  and  national 
financial instruments for the deployment of zero-emissions vessels83. The key is to ensure, 
to  the  greatest  extent  possible,  that  smaller  vessel  operators  can  combine  their  projects  to 
receive attractive financing conditions. 
With a total budget of EUR 672.5 billion,  the Recovery and Resilience Facility84 can benefit 
all  sectors  of  the  EU  economy,  including  inland  waterway  transport.  Inland  waterway 
transport  was  also  deeply  affected  by  the  COVID-19  crisis.  Therefore  the  Commission  has 
supported  Member  States  that  have  included  investments  in  zero-emission  inland  waterway 
transport in their recovery and resilience plans. 

For  2021-2027,  the  Connecting  Europe  Facility  will  have  a  EUR 21.8  billion  budget  to 
support  the  completion  of  an  interconnected,  multimodal,  sustainable,  interoperable,  smart, 
safe and secure TEN-T network, strengthening social, economic, environmental and territorial 
cohesion in the Union85. The programme will impactfully target modernisation of the inland 
waterway  TEN-T  infrastructure,  for  example  by  supporting  RIS  deployment,  a  network  of 
alternative  fuels  infrastructure  or  multimodal  platforms  in  inland  ports  along  the  TEN-T 
network. 

With a EUR 26.2 billion guarantee, InvestEU, and its ‘Sustainable Infrastructure Window’ in 
particular, will also benefit the inland waterway transport sector, including SME operators, by 
stimulating  private  investment  in  sustainable  transport  infrastructure  and  zero-emission 
vessels.  The  strengthened  Innovation  Fund  resulting  from  the  Emission  Trading  System 
revision  will  further  incentivise  innovation  and  research  in  waterborne  transport,  as  well  as 
the deployment of zero-emission vessels. Equally, the LIFE programme will continue offering 
funding  opportunities  in  inland  waterways,  mainly  focusing  on  air  and  water  quality86, 
biodiversity  and enhanced resource  efficiency.  Finally, the Horizon Europe programme will 
continue to support innovative projects on inland waterway transport infrastructure and fleets, 
in support of digitalisation and decarbonisation. 

81 Estimated by the European Corridors Coordinators Work Plans. 
82 H2020 CSA Platina III project. 
83 For example, any initiative by those Member States concerned to use the reserve funds created under Regulation (EU) 718/1999 on a 
Community-fleet capacity policy to promote inland waterway transport (as amended by Regulation (EU) 546/2014 to this effect. 

84 An unprecedented recovery package to kick-start the European economy was adopted by EU Member States and the European Parliament. 
It  includes  a package  for  EUR 1.1  trillion  for  the new  programming period, as  well  as  EUR 750 billion  for  a new  recovery  instrument, 
NextGenerationEU. The Recovery and Resilience Facility will form the central pillar of NextGenerationEU. 

85 A tracking methodology for CEF/TEN-T to clean air has been developed under which the transport mode Inland Waterways is allocated a 

Rio Marker of 40% 

86 Pilot and demonstration projects of vessels meeting Regulation (EU) 2016/1628 for inland waterway transport will be possible  under the 

LIFE programme as air quality will be a priority topic in the LIFE sub-programme  environment 2021-2027. 

EN 

13 

EN 

 
                                                           
Finally,  the  EU  Taxonomy  Climate  Delegated  Act87  recognises  the  potential  of  low-carbon 
modes such as inland waterways to contribute to modal shift. The Commission will therefore 
establish  relevant  technical  screening  criteria  for  determining  the  conditions  under  which 
overall inland waterway infrastructure contributes to climate change mitigation, with a view 
to guiding market participants in their investment decisions. 

4. 

GOVERNANCE 

The main  governing structures relevant for the EU inland waterway transport sector are the 
European Union, the CCNR88, the Danube Commission89, and the United Nations Economic 
Commission  for Europe  (UNECE)90.  International  river commissions,  such as CCNR or the 
Danube Commission,  have enabled, for more than a hundred  years, free  navigation  on their 
own respective basins, including with non-EU countries91. 

This governance setup is complex and its simplification could lead to further harmonisation of 
EU  policy  and  reduce  the  administrative  burden  at  EU  and  Member  States  level,  thus 
increasing the sector’s efficiency.  The European Commission will continue to work with 
the  CCNR,  the  Danube  Commission  and  the  Permanent  Secretariat  of  the  Transport 
Community to ensure, where appropriate, the coordination between the EU policies and 
the policies of these international organisations and indicate the possibilities for support 
through  CEF.  

Set  up  in  2015,  the  European  Committee  for  drawing  up  common  standards  in  the  field  of 
inland  navigation  (CESNI)92  has  helped  to  the  internal  market  through  the  development  of 
technical standards for vessels and crew. While CESNI will continue developing technical  
standards, the governance framework should further be adressed and enhanced through the 
various Member States’ and stakeholders’ expert groups that the Commission set up in 2017.  

The  Commission  will  continue  supporting  CESNI  through  the  Connecting  Europe 
Facility  in  order  to  develop  harmonised  EU  technical  standards  for  inland  waterway 
transport. 
Finally,  one  of  the  six  priorities93  of  the  current  Commission  is  a  stronger  Europe  in  the 
world. Hence, the Commission will continue its cooperation with key partners and neighbours 
to improve connectivity links, open up new market opportunities and promote high safety and 
security standards through international organisations. Cooperation and coordination with the 
Western  Balkan  countries  through  the  Transport  Community,  as  well  as  with  Ukraine  and 
Moldova,  is  important  for  the  implementation  of  this  programme,  and  in  particular,  in  the 
context of the Common Regional Market. 

87 Recital 34 of the taxonomy climate delegated act 
88 The CCNR is the oldest macro-regional cooperation for inland navigation in Europe. It decides binding regulations for navigation on the 
Rhine,  and  its  Member  States  are  Belgium,  France,  Germany,  the  Netherlands  and  Switzerland.  https://ccr-zkr.org/  The  Danube 
Commission  and  11  states  (Austria,  Bulgaria,  Luxembourg,  Hungary,  Slovakia,  the  Czech  Republic,  Romania,  the  United  Kingdom, 
Ukraine, Poland and Serbia) have observer status at the CCNR. 

89 The Danube Commission issues recommendations to ensure safety of navigation and respect of the principles of the Belgrade Convention, 
which aims to ensure free and costless passage over the Danube River to all operators. Members of the Danube Commission are Austria, 
Bulgaria, Hungary, Germany, Moldova, Russia, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Ukraine and Croatia. The European Commission participates 
as an observer. https://www.danubecommission.org/dc/en/danube-commission/  

90 https://unece.org/transport/inland-water-transport  
91 Switzerland for the CCNR; Ukraine, Moldova, Russia and Serbia for the Danube Commission. 
92 Its members are CCNR members, Member States of the EU, further representatives of international organisations and stakeholders in the 

field of inland navigation in Europe 

93 https://ec.europa.eu/info/strategy/priorities-2019-2024_en 

EN 

14 

EN 

 
 
                                                           
5. 

CONCLUSION 

The European Green Deal and the Sustainable and Smart Mobility Strategy clearly set out the 
objectives to increase the role of inland waterway transport and to make all transport modes 
more  sustainable,  in  line  with  the  EU’s  climate  neutrality  and  the  zero  pollution  goal.  The 
ambition  to  substantially  increase  the  share  of  the  inland  freight  transport  carried  by  inland 
waterway transport, and to increase considerably the capacity of inland waterways in the next 
years  call  for  decisive  actions  requiring  a  fundamental  transformation  of  the  sector. 
NAIADES III sets out a pathway to enable this transformation, meeting the ambitions for the 
green  and digital  transition  of the sector, while offering  attractive and sustainable jobs.  The 
Commission  will  continue  its  close  collaboration  with  Member  States,  stakeholders  and 
international organisations active in inland waterway transport to achieve these ambitious, but 
crucial,  objectives  for  the  sector  and  to  contribute  to  its  long-term  viability,  growth  and 
resilience. 

EN 

15 

EN 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
ANNEX: ACTION PLAN  

SHIFTING MORE FREIGHT TRANSPORT TO INLAND WATERWAYS 

1.  Continued support for innovative infrastructure and deployment through Horizon Europe and 

CEF  

2.  Revision of the TEN-T Regulation – Inland waterway transport requirements and role of 

coordinators 

3.  Deployment of cross-disciplinary digital information and operation systems for water- and 

waterway management through CEF 

4.  Transport crisis contingency plan(s) 

5.  Review of the regulatory framework for intermodal transport, including the Combined 

Transport Directive 

6. 

Issue guidelines for operators and platforms on informing users about the carbon footprint of 
their deliveries and on offering sustainable delivery choices 

7.  Review the inland waterway transport  market access legislation 

8.  Evaluation of the Directive (EU) 2016/1629 on technical requirements for inland vessels 

TOWARDS ZERO-EMISSION INLAND WATERWAY TRANSPORT 

9.  Specific actions arising from the Mission on Healthy Oceans, Seas, Coastal and Inland Waters 

and from the Zero-Emission Waterborne Transport Partnership/Green Hydrogen partnership 

10.  Support through CEF  for the deployment of zero-emission inland vessels 

11.  Facilitate through the H2020 Platina III project the elaboration of an EU energy index 

methodology for assessing carbon intensity levels of inland waterways vessels 

12.  Evaluate the procedure for allowing derogations in the context of  Directive (EU) 2016/1629 for 

encouraging   the navigation   of zero-emission vessels on EU waterways  

13.  Analysis to assess the need for measures for promoting low carbon/zero-emission vessels. 

14.  Revision of the railways State aid guidelines – possible inclusion of IWT and  possible block 

exemption of aid for the coordination of transport 

15.  Revision of the State aid guidelines  for environmental protection and energy, as well as the  

State aid Framework for research, development and innovation 

16.  Technical Guidance document on climate proofing on infrastuctuture in the period  2021-2027 

17.   Study  to support the  greening of inland ports 

18.  Revision of the Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Directive  and a roll-out plan with funding 

opportunities and requirements 

19.  Request the European Standardisation Organisation for harmonised standards for alternative 

fuels infrastructure for inland waterways and ports 

20.  Continous support for innovative and alternative fuels  infrastucture and deployment through 

Horizon Europe and CEF  

21.  An assessment of the needs of waste reception infrastructure and and degassing facilities 

22.  Revision  of  the  Delegated  Regulation  (EU)  2017/1926  on  multimodal  travel  information 

services with inclusion of inland waterway transport  

EN 

16 

From 2021 

2021 

From 2022 

2022 

2022 

2023 

2022 

2022 

From 2021 

From 2021 

2022 

2023 

2025 

From  2021 
to 2023 

2021 

2021 

2021 

2021 

2021 

From 2021 

2024 

2022 

EN 

 
 
 
23.  Revision of the Directive 2005/44/EC on Harmonised River Information Services 

SMART INLAND WATERWAY TRANSPORT 

24.  Technical assistance for a permanent operational structure for a single point of access for the 

provision of RIS-based Corridor Information Services 

25.  An integrated and operationalised vision for the digital transformation of the current traffic and 

transport related business models and processes in the sector 

26.  CEF technical assistance project to strengthen public-private cooperation in inland waterway 

transport  and facilitate implementation of the digitalisation vision 

2022 

2024 

2023 

2023 

27.  Facilitate the Development, demonstration and the deployment of holistic Smart Shipping 

Concepts for the digital integration of  inland waterway transport in the synchromodal supply 
chain, including RIS, through Horizon Europe and CEF 

From 2022 

 TOWARDS MORE ATTRACTIVE AND SUSTAINABLE JOBS IN INLAND WATERWAY TRANSPORT  

28.  Regular information on the labour market structure through the inland waterway transport 

market observatory 

From 2022 

29.  Evaluation of social legislation in the context of the market access fitness check 

30.  Propose measures on  digital tools for recording and exchanging information on inland crew 

and vessels 

31.  Propose measures on EU crewing requirements for inland navigation 

32.  Request development of standards for skills for alternative fuels’ operations and for 

environment-friendly and efficient vessel operation (eco navigation) 

FINANCING 

33.  Facilitate the efforts of stakeholders and Member States to create a fund complementing EU and 

national financial instruments 

34.  Support the CESNI through the CEF technical assistance for the development  of technical 

standards  for inland waterway transport 

GOVERNANCE 

2023 

2021 

2024 

2022 

2024 

2022 

35.  Support the CCNR and the Danube Commission for ensuring, where approriate,  the 
coordination between  EU policies  and the policies of the respective  international 
organisations 

From 2022 

EN 

17 

EN