The European Parliament adopted on Tuesday 14 September the report by Dutch MEP Caroline Nagtegaal (Renew Europe) on the sustainability and durability of inland waterway transport.
“This report is an instrument to maintain the sector and make it efficient and resilient. In the run-up to major changes, we need infrastructure for this sector”, she said the day before at the plenary session in Strasbourg.
The text emphasises the role of inland waterway transport in achieving the EU’s environmental objectives.
“The Green Deal calls for 75% of road freight to be shifted to rail or waterways. The share of the latter is currently 6%. Measures are needed to increase the share of inland navigation now”, commented the Commissioner for Jobs and Social Rights, Nicolas Schmit, speaking on behalf of the European Commission.
So, while the roadmap gives priority to alternative fuels, Ms Nagtegaal also reminded the audience that the transition should not be at the expense of the smaller players in the sector.
“The sector is mostly characterised by small companies. There has to be a smooth transition, because it will mean big investments for small businesses. There is a need for a fund that is accessible to them, even if the Commission is already providing financial support for this purpose”, explained the rapporteur.
In addition to energy transition and modal shift, the report also stresses the need to include digitisation and data management in the reflection. The development of multimodal infrastructure and the modernisation of training and education in the field of inland navigation are also priorities.
See the report: https://bit.ly/3nyyVq6 (Original version in French by Thomas Mangin)