Inland waterways: trilogue agreement on uniform safety standards for inland navigation

Inland waterways: trilogue agreement on uniform safety standards for inland navigation

The Commission welcomes the agreement reached yesterday evening by the European Parliament and the Council on technical requirements for inland waterway vessels. This will harmonise the requirements for inland navigation certificates across the EU, which will cut red-tape and contribute to President Juncker's priority of a deeper and fairer internal market . These may be used by other organisations, such as the Central Commission for the Navigation of the Rhine (CCNR). Member States will also gain a better access to safety information on vessels and certificates, through a European database. Yesterday's agreement is an important milestone for the implementation of NAIADES II – the Commission's strategy for a competitive inland waterway sector. Promoting the most sustainable transport modes – inland waterways and rail – is critical to deliver on the Commission's agenda of decarbonisation , in line with the Energy-Union and the agreement reached at the COP21 in Paris.