Brussels, 24/05/2000 (Agence Europe) - The European Commission is proposing that the EU assume the greater part of the cost of the work needed to make the Danube navigable again, following the destruction caused by NATO air strikes on Serb territory and other repercussions of the Kosovo war. The EU should take on 85% of the "International Fund for the Clearance of the Fairway of the Danube", with a ceiling of EUR 22 million. This proposal was adopted in January by the Danube Commission, which approved on 17 May the necessary legal measures.
A statement released by the Commission's Spokesman's Service notes the following.
"The aim is to clear the Danube as soon as possible. The European Commission has already agreed to allow the use of emergency procedures for tenders, and to reduce all deadlines to the minimum possible. Work on initial drafts of the tenders was already underway, even before the Danube Commission decision of last week, in an effort to save time. During this time, certain other preparatory stages, e.g. mine clearance of the site, could also be completed in order to allow the clearance work to begin as soon as possible. The Danube Commission hopes this work can be done during winter 2000, although it may be interrupted for climatic reasons. The target date to complete work to render the Danube navigable is spring 2001. In summer 2001, the second phase -restoration of the riverbed and banks- will take place."
To make the EU contribution available as quickly as possible, the Commission has asked the Council and European Parliament to state their view on the proposal under the urgent procedure.