Brussels, 01/12/2008 (Agence Europe) - On 26 November, the European Commission approved a Belgian aid scheme for the land transport of goods to promote environmentally friendly modes of transport providing an alternative to road transport. The scheme will run from 2008 to 2013 with an annual budget of €3.5 million. It will encourage the development of goods transport by inland waterway and rail, including combined transport, enabling the Belgian authorities to implement an environmentally friendly mobility policy for the sustainable development of the Walloon region.
The aid scheme notified to the Commission provides for a premium granted to transport operators to help fund the acquisition of land and equipment and develop the infrastructure and facilities required for transhipment. It will also go towards the acquisition of intermodal loading and unloading systems. The premium will be capped at 30% of the amount of the investment where the beneficiary is an SME and 20% where the beneficiary is a large enterprise.
The aid scheme also provides for the grant of a premium for the transport of containers by inland waterway. The premium is to be granted towards part of the operating costs of such scheduled services. In the case of SMEs it will be a maximum of 30% and in the case of large enterprises a maximum of 20% of the costs of operating the services. (O.L.transl/rh)