SP(2005)2323

SP(2005)2124

The European Parliament adopted a resolution based on an own-initiative report drafted by Robert NAVARRO (PES, FR) by 589 votes in favour, 7 against and 13 abstentions. It called for the modal shift from road transport to short sea shipping to be encouraged since the latter is an environmentally-friendly mode of transport. Motorways of the Sea with solid environmental requirements must be established.

Parliament stated that the administrative procedures which hinder the development of short sea shipping should be reduced as much as possible without compromising aspects relating to security and safety, particularly by making full use of electronic communication possibilities. It also called for the development of high-quality corridors for short sea shipping between EU Member States, with public and private participation as well as use of instruments relating to the trans-European transport network and the Marco Polo programme.

Priority should be given to investment in infrastructure in order to improve access to ports from both land and sea, including cross-border projects within the trans-European transport network. Parliament supported the Commission programmes aimed at simplifying the legal framework applying to short sea shipping and inland waterway transport, and encouraging the creation of one-stop shops by simplifying administrative and customs formalities. Parliament stressed the potential of short sea shipping as a complementary mode of transport available very quickly and at low cost pending completion of certain trans-European transport network railway infrastructures. It cited the pressing need for alternative means of transport between France and Spain pending the opening, in about 2020, of a connection between Montpellier and Figueras.

Parliament went on to discuss the following matters:

- a European uniform system of liability for the multimodal chain;

- the need to settle the issue of the standardisation of ILUs, with interoperability being ensured between maritime transport, inland waterways, rail and road transport;

- short sea shipping is covered by Community customs legislation, and the Parliament declared itself in favour of optimum use of the exemptions offered by Community customs rules and the promotion of customs facilities operated under simplified systems for goods which may be moved freely within the framework of authorised regular shipping services;

- the setting-up of further electronic offices at sea ports where all mandatory formalities can be completed in a single operation;

- support structures for short sea shipping: Parliament welcomed the European Short Sea Network action plan and called on the promotion centres to implement it as quickly as possible.

- a strategic environmental impact assessment of the planned Motorways of the Sea must be performed jointly by Member States and the Commission. This EIA should examine the environmental impact not only of the route itself but also of port developments and the impact on transport movements in the hinterland;

- further, on environmental matters, Parliament recalled the need to promote the positive environmental image of short sea shipping, particularly as regards water and air pollution, and therefore to lay down minimum environmental requirements such as the use of low-sulphur fuel and limits for emissions (of SOx, NOx, CO 2 , etc.) into air and water;

Finally, Parliament recognised the importance of the concept of Motorways of the Sea for short sea shipping, chiefly due to co financing infrastructure measures in appropriate cases. It called for the adoption of effective, clear and adequate financing arrangements for actions linked to Motorways of the Sea and short sea shipping lines, allowing the optimum level of complementarity or indeed additionality of financing so as to enable lasting and viable new lines to be set up.

T6-0086/2005
OJ C 033 09.02.2006, p. 0026-0142 E

Results of vote in Parliament

The European Parliament adopted a resolution based on an own-initiative report drafted by Robert NAVARRO (PES, FR) by 589 votes in favour, 7 against and 13 abstentions. It called for the modal shift from road transport to short sea shipping to be encouraged since the latter is an environmentally-friendly mode of transport. Motorways of the Sea with solid environmental requirements must be established.

Parliament stated that the administrative procedures which hinder the development of short sea shipping should be reduced as much as possible without compromising aspects relating to security and safety, particularly by making full use of electronic communication possibilities. It also called for the development of high-quality corridors for short sea shipping between EU Member States, with public and private participation as well as use of instruments relating to the trans-European transport network and the Marco Polo programme.

Priority should be given to investment in infrastructure in order to improve access to ports from both land and sea, including cross-border projects within the trans-European transport network. Parliament supported the Commission programmes aimed at simplifying the legal framework applying to short sea shipping and inland waterway transport, and encouraging the creation of one-stop shops by simplifying administrative and customs formalities. Parliament stressed the potential of short sea shipping as a complementary mode of transport available very quickly and at low cost pending completion of certain trans-European transport network railway infrastructures. It cited the pressing need for alternative means of transport between France and Spain pending the opening, in about 2020, of a connection between Montpellier and Figueras.

Parliament went on to discuss the following matters:

- a European uniform system of liability for the multimodal chain;

- the need to settle the issue of the standardisation of ILUs, with interoperability being ensured between maritime transport, inland waterways, rail and road transport;

- short sea shipping is covered by Community customs legislation, and the Parliament declared itself in favour of optimum use of the exemptions offered by Community customs rules and the promotion of customs facilities operated under simplified systems for goods which may be moved freely within the framework of authorised regular shipping services;

- the setting-up of further electronic offices at sea ports where all mandatory formalities can be completed in a single operation;

- support structures for short sea shipping: Parliament welcomed the European Short Sea Network action plan and called on the promotion centres to implement it as quickly as possible.

- a strategic environmental impact assessment of the planned Motorways of the Sea must be performed jointly by Member States and the Commission. This EIA should examine the environmental impact not only of the route itself but also of port developments and the impact on transport movements in the hinterland;

- further, on environmental matters, Parliament recalled the need to promote the positive environmental image of short sea shipping, particularly as regards water and air pollution, and therefore to lay down minimum environmental requirements such as the use of low-sulphur fuel and limits for emissions (of SOx, NOx, CO 2 , etc.) into air and water;

Finally, Parliament recognised the importance of the concept of Motorways of the Sea for short sea shipping, chiefly due to co financing infrastructure measures in appropriate cases. It called for the adoption of effective, clear and adequate financing arrangements for actions linked to Motorways of the Sea and short sea shipping lines, allowing the optimum level of complementarity or indeed additionality of financing so as to enable lasting and viable new lines to be set up.

T6-0086/2005

Debate in Parliament

A6-0055/2005

A6-0055/2005

PURPOSE : to promote the development of short sea shipping in Europe.

CONTENT : Following the reports of 1995 and 1999, the Commission presents a further communication on Short Sea Shipping in Europe highlighting the progress achieved since 1999 and linking it to the Programme for the Promotion of Short Sea Shipping.

Short Sea Shipping is growing. Between 1995 and 2002, the tonne-kilometre performance of both Short Sea Shipping and road grew by 25 %. In 2001, Short Sea Shipping performed 40 % of all tonne-kilometres in Europe while the share of road transport was 45 %.

Maritime transport has a higher energy-efficiency than other modes of transport and is, in general, less harmful to the environment. Increased use of Short Sea Shipping would generally be in line with the Community transport and environmental policies.

However, a number of obstacles still hinder the mode from developing faster:

- It has not yet reached full integration in the intermodal door-to-door supply chain;

- It has not yet fully shed its past image of an old-fashioned industry;

- It involves complex administrative procedures;

- It requires high port efficiency.

The Commission states that developing Short Sea Shipping is primarily a task for the industries. Nevertheless, the authorities have a clear role to play in creating an appropriate framework and keeping the mode continuously high on the political agenda, as has been the case in the past years.

Logistics chains involving Short Sea Shipping should be managed and commercialised by one-stop shops, such as freight integrators. These shops should offer customers a single contact point that takes responsibility for the whole intermodal supply chain door to door. This requires efforts from all parties but is a win-win situation.

The Commission, in co-operation with the Short Sea Shipping Focal Points and industry, has been collecting a list of obstacles that hinder the development of Short Sea Shipping. In 2003, two meetings of the Focal Points were dedicated to addressing those alleged bottlenecks one by one in the following categories:

- Image of Short Sea Shipping;

- Door-to-door Short Sea Shipping;

- Administration and documentation;

- Ports and port services;

- Country-specific issues.

A number of bottlenecks on the original list have been solved and work on addressing the remaining 67 bottlenecks in a systematic manner will continue.

The Communication goes on to discuss customs procedures for Short Sea Shipping and port services and security. It points out that harmonisation and standardisation of loading units can have a positive influence on Short Sea Shipping.

The Commission also discusses the criteria and financing for Motorways of the Sea. These should become an integral part of door-to-door logistics chains and offer efficient, regular, reliable and frequent services that can compete with road, for instance, in terms of transit time and price. The ports connected to the Motorways should have efficient hinterland connections, rapid administrative procedures and a high level of service that is targeted to making short-sea operations successful. The Commission is developing guidelines that would set out the criteria and procedures for the funding of Motorways of the Sea projects under the rules of the trans- European transport network thereby facilitating the practical application of those rules.

Although Short Sea Shipping would be the mode to operate on the Motorways of the Sea, its underlying concept is broader than that of Motorways of the Sea, because, apart from transnational links between European Union Member States, Short Sea Shipping also includes connections with close third countries, domestic connections, and connections from mainland to islands.

Finally, the Commission discusses the Marco Polo Programme, which has a goal to shift 12 billion tonne-kilometres a year from road to non-road modes. The budget of the new programme is EUR 100 million for the period 2003-2006.

The first call for proposals under Marco Polo was published in October 2003 with a budget of EUR 15 million. Under this call the Commission received 87 eligible proposals requesting subsidies totalling EUR 182.4 million. 36 % of the proposals related directly to Short Sea Shipping, while 34 % were rail projects, 5 % were inland waterway projects and 25 % involved more than one non-road mode (e.g. Short Sea Shipping in combination with rail or inland waterways). The short-sea proposals made in the selection round were generally of high quality and a substantial share of accepted projects will involve Short Sea Shipping.

COM(2004)0453
EUR-Lex

PURPOSE : to promote the development of short sea shipping in Europe.

CONTENT : Following the reports of 1995 and 1999, the Commission presents a further communication on Short Sea Shipping in Europe highlighting the progress achieved since 1999 and linking it to the Programme for the Promotion of Short Sea Shipping.

Short Sea Shipping is growing. Between 1995 and 2002, the tonne-kilometre performance of both Short Sea Shipping and road grew by 25 %. In 2001, Short Sea Shipping performed 40 % of all tonne-kilometres in Europe while the share of road transport was 45 %.

Maritime transport has a higher energy-efficiency than other modes of transport and is, in general, less harmful to the environment. Increased use of Short Sea Shipping would generally be in line with the Community transport and environmental policies.

However, a number of obstacles still hinder the mode from developing faster:

- It has not yet reached full integration in the intermodal door-to-door supply chain;

- It has not yet fully shed its past image of an old-fashioned industry;

- It involves complex administrative procedures;

- It requires high port efficiency.

The Commission states that developing Short Sea Shipping is primarily a task for the industries. Nevertheless, the authorities have a clear role to play in creating an appropriate framework and keeping the mode continuously high on the political agenda, as has been the case in the past years.

Logistics chains involving Short Sea Shipping should be managed and commercialised by one-stop shops, such as freight integrators. These shops should offer customers a single contact point that takes responsibility for the whole intermodal supply chain door to door. This requires efforts from all parties but is a win-win situation.

The Commission, in co-operation with the Short Sea Shipping Focal Points and industry, has been collecting a list of obstacles that hinder the development of Short Sea Shipping. In 2003, two meetings of the Focal Points were dedicated to addressing those alleged bottlenecks one by one in the following categories:

- Image of Short Sea Shipping;

- Door-to-door Short Sea Shipping;

- Administration and documentation;

- Ports and port services;

- Country-specific issues.

A number of bottlenecks on the original list have been solved and work on addressing the remaining 67 bottlenecks in a systematic manner will continue.

The Communication goes on to discuss customs procedures for Short Sea Shipping and port services and security. It points out that harmonisation and standardisation of loading units can have a positive influence on Short Sea Shipping.

The Commission also discusses the criteria and financing for Motorways of the Sea. These should become an integral part of door-to-door logistics chains and offer efficient, regular, reliable and frequent services that can compete with road, for instance, in terms of transit time and price. The ports connected to the Motorways should have efficient hinterland connections, rapid administrative procedures and a high level of service that is targeted to making short-sea operations successful. The Commission is developing guidelines that would set out the criteria and procedures for the funding of Motorways of the Sea projects under the rules of the trans- European transport network thereby facilitating the practical application of those rules.

Although Short Sea Shipping would be the mode to operate on the Motorways of the Sea, its underlying concept is broader than that of Motorways of the Sea, because, apart from transnational links between European Union Member States, Short Sea Shipping also includes connections with close third countries, domestic connections, and connections from mainland to islands.

Finally, the Commission discusses the Marco Polo Programme, which has a goal to shift 12 billion tonne-kilometres a year from road to non-road modes. The budget of the new programme is EUR 100 million for the period 2003-2006.

The first call for proposals under Marco Polo was published in October 2003 with a budget of EUR 15 million. Under this call the Commission received 87 eligible proposals requesting subsidies totalling EUR 182.4 million. 36 % of the proposals related directly to Short Sea Shipping, while 34 % were rail projects, 5 % were inland waterway projects and 25 % involved more than one non-road mode (e.g. Short Sea Shipping in combination with rail or inland waterways). The short-sea proposals made in the selection round were generally of high quality and a substantial share of accepted projects will involve Short Sea Shipping.

COM(2004)0453
EUR-Lex