Page 32 - Lawtext Utility Law Review Journal Sample

EUROPEAN CURRENT SURVEY 16[2006/2007]4 ULR 179

European Commission approves The European Commission has authorised a Belgian scheme which is intended to encourage
Belgian aid scheme for inland the development of inland waterway transport between the Flemish coastal ports and the
waterway transport hinterland. The aid covers the period 2006–2008 and has a total budget of €6,240,776 for
(IP/06/1388) 13 October 2006 three years. The aid promotes the shift of freight traffic from the roads to a more
environmentally friendly mode of transport. The scheme will be accessible to all EU transport
undertakings operating regular services in Belgium. European transport policy encourages
the use of inland waterways and other environmentally friendly modes of transport so
that they can become competitive alternatives to road haulage. Under the Belgian scheme,
subsidies will be granted for the construction or reconstruction of vessels that can navigate
on that part of the sea between Zeebrugge and Vlissingen/Breskens (NL). The aid can also
support the start-up of regular container services between Flemish coastal ports and the
hinterland (in particular, Flanders and the Rhine valley).

European Commission sends formal The European Commission has sent a letter of formal notice to Belgium for its failure to
notice to Belgium for failure to take take all measures necessary to comply with the ECJ judgment of 15 December 2005 on
measures on a vessel traffic Belgium’s non-transposition of Directive 2002/59/EC on a vessel traffic monitoring and
monitoring and information system information system. In spite of the adoption of two Royal Decrees and one Ministerial
(IP/06/1389) 13 October 2006 Decree, Belgium’s transposition remains incomplete more than two and a half years after
the original deadline for transposition (5 February 2004). This Directive aims at enhancing
the safety of maritime traffic by improving the response of authorities to incidents, accidents
and potentially dangerous situations at sea, thus contributing to a better prevention and
detection of pollution by ships. The Directive also provides for the monitoring of hazardous
ships and for intervention in the event of accidents at sea. In this context, it sets out the
obligation for Member States to draw up plans to accommodate ships in distress in their
coastal waters.

Promotion of short sea shipping and The European Commission and the Finnish Presidency have organised a seminar on short
motorways of the sea sea shipping and the motorways of the sea to report on the support actions undertaken
(IP/06/1473) 25 October 2006 by the Member States and the EU. At present, short sea shipping and the motorways of
the sea are subject to administrative procedures that are excessively complex. In addition,
they suffer from under-investment and are insufficiently integrated into door-to-door logistics
chains. To encourage the development of the sector, port passage needs to be made easier.
This means simplifying administrative and customs procedures for ships entering and leaving
ports and the integration of shipping into the logistics chain, particularly by ensuring continuity
through adequate shore-side transport and logistical capacities. Motorways of the sea are
intermodal corridors based on shipping lines with reliable, high frequency, and high speed
port services which demonstrate the great potential of short sea shipping to absorb a
large part of the growth in goods transport in the next few years.

UTILITIES LAW REVIEW PUBLISHED BY LAWTEXT PUBLISHING LIMITED
www.lawtext.com