Commission Regulation (EC) No 2433/97 of 8 December 1997 amending Regulation (EEC) No 1102/89 laying down certain measures for implementing Council Regulation (EEC) No 1101/89 on structural improvements in inland waterway transport

COMMISSION REGULATION (EC) No 2433/97 of 8 December 1997 amending Regulation (EEC) No 1102/89 laying down certain measures for implementing Council Regulation (EEC) No 1101/89 on structural improvements in inland waterway transport
THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community,
Having regard to Council Regulation (EEC) No 1101/89 of 27 April 1989 on structural improvements in inland waterway transport (1), as last amended by Commission Regulation (EC) No 2310/96 (2), and in particular Articles 4a, 6 and 10 (3) thereof,
Whereas Regulation (EEC) No 1101/89, as amended, provides for the possibility of reducing structural overcapacity in inland waterway transport in the Member States concerned by introducing schemes coordinated at Community level for the scrapping of vessels in 1996, 1997 and 1998, with a view to reducing fleet capacity by some 15 %;
Whereas, pursuant to Commission Regulation (EEC) No 1102/89 of 27 April 1989 laying down certain measures for implementing Council Regulation (EEC) No 1101/89 on structural improvements in inland waterway transport (3), as last amended by Regulation (EC) No 241/97 (4), the Commission establishes the practical arrangements for these scrapping schemes;
Whereas, in respect of the scrapping scheme for 1998, the total financial contribution payable to the Scrapping Funds by the Member States concerned is estimated at ECU 64 million, to achieve a reduction in capacity of about 5 %; whereas this contribution is calculated in proportion to the size of the active fleet of each Member State concerned, as provided for in Council Regulation (EC) No 2254/96 (5);
Whereas, for 1998, the financial contribution from the Member States concerned and the contribution payable by the trade must be shared between dry cargo vessels, pusher craft and tanker vessels;
Whereas, the 1997 scrapping premium rates should be maintained in 1998 since they have demonstrated their effectiveness; whereas the premium rate percentage bracket should also be extended from 80 to 120 % of the maximum values laid down with effect from 1 January 1998 in order to make the scrapping scheme more attractive for those largest vessels which cause excess capacity, and in order to enable certain skippers to leave the trade under acceptable financial conditions before complete liberation of the market on 1 January 2000;
Whereas, to enable the 1998 scrapping scheme to go ahead, between June and July 1998, the lodging of new applications pursuant to Article 6 (6) (a) must continue to be suspended so that no vessel can be placed on a quarterly waiting list and at the same time be entered under the 1998 scrapping scheme procedure; whereas the quarterly mechanism for applying for premiums from the Scrapping Funds, as provided for in Article 6 (6) (b) of Regulation (EEC) No 1102/89, as amended, must therefore also continue to be suspended;
Whereas the budgetary implications for the Member States concerned and the need to initiate the procedure by introducing national implementing measures from the start of 1998 make it necessary to bring this Regulation into force as a matter of urgency;
Whereas the Member States and the Group of Experts on Structural Improvements in Inland Waterway Transport, set up pursuant to Article 12 of Regulation (EEC) No 1102/89, have been consulted on the proposed amendments,