Brussels, 06/08/2004 (Agence Europe) - The promotion of navigation on inland waterways is one of the priorities of the Dutch Presidency which is organising a conference from 10 to 12 November in The Hague on "The Power of Inland Navigation". The conference will be attended by a number of speakers including Dutch Transport Minister Karla Peijs (former MEP) and Karel van Miert, who was former Transport Commissioner first and then former Competition Commissioner. It will focus on various themes such as: the importance and the role of inland navigation as part of Europe's chain of transport, innovation and information technology to the service of inland navigation, infrastructures, and dialogue between the private and public sectors concerned. A visit to the port of Rotterdam is also foreseen. (For further information: http://www.verkeerenwaterstaat.nl or Marjolein Masclee: +31.70.351.14.61 - inland.navigation@minvenw.nl).