Working year 2006-2007

The EU programme to support the development of inland waterway transport “Naiades” was adopted one year ago by the European Commission, the European Parliament and the Member States. The action plan fits in the overall EU policy for an efficient and sustainable transport system whereby each mode of transportation builds on its strengths and reduces its weak spots to attack the main challenges of this century: competitiveness, global warming and energy security.

The first measures of the Naiades action plan are already being implemented and the next package is on the discussion table. INE presents a NAIADES scoreboard in its annual report and informs how the organisation and its members contributed to the implementation work. Nevertheless, the perception among most stakeholders is that things go too slow. This has everything to do with the huge challenges: update of the infrastructure, renewal of the workforce and innovation of the fleet. A timely implementation with a focus on the priorities is therefore paramount. As for all SME sectors, waterway transport needs robust policies in order to create jobs and economic growth and to take advantage of new business opportunities related to energy and environmental technologies.

There is plenty of improvement thinkable. In particular, better cooperation and creative planning between all parties are crucial to set up innovative initiatives and to attack chain inefficiencies in operations, infrastructures and regulations.