Inland shipping
18.2.2010
WRITTEN QUESTION E-1029/10
by Frieda Brepoels (Verts/ALE)
to the Commission
The new Transport Commissioner, Mr Kallas, has announced that he intends to go full speed ahead with ‘decarbonising’ transport. As is well-known, inland shipping emits 3.5 times less CO2 per tonne-kilometre than lorries and the industry has reduced its fuel consumption by 15 % since 1990. It will also rapidly reach the 30 % reduction target. The technology to achieve this is already available. But in this connection it is important to ensure that the waterway network is properly maintained, since this too does much to reduce emissions. By 2030 European inland shipping would like to be operating CO2-neutrally. To achieve that objective the investment needs to start now. A supportive inland shipping policy is thus extremely important.
In this context, would the Commission state:
- 1.Will the Commission be going to work on a follow-up programme to Naiades, designed to stimulate green innovation and ensure trouble-free regulation, giving special attention to small businesses? If so, when can we expect this to start? If not, why not?
- 2.Is the Commission prepared to include as a priority the incorporation of inland waterways in the trans-European networks, giving attention to effective infrastructural and digital interfaces with other transport modes at port and terminal interchanges? If so, what steps will be taken to do so, and when? If not, why not?
- 3.How does the Commission view the role of inland shipping in the future of transport? What attention is the Commission giving to inland shipping in general transport planning, so that supply chain managers can opt for low-CO2 and uncongested transport by water?
OJ C 138 E, 07/05/2011