Brussels, 20/02/2014 (Agence Europe) - The Parliamentary committee on transport (TRAN) has adopted a negotiation mandate for the Naiades II package which aims to set in place better conditions for the growth of transport via navigable waterways.
The package was adopted (30 votes to two, with one abstention) on the basis of two reports by Corien Wortmann-Kool (EPP, Netherlands) regarding the directive on the technical standards applicable to inland navigation vessels and a regulation on fleet capacity. The compromise amendments adopted provide mainly for adequate funding to be made available for innovation in inland navigation via the Connecting Europe Facility and the Horizon 2020 programme. This means that negotiations can start in the near future in trialogue with the Council of the EU so that the new provisions can be adopted ahead of the elections, the rapporteur hopes. (MD/transl.fl)