Goods and passenger transport by inland waterway

SUMMARY OF:

Regulation (EC) No 1356/96 — rules for the inland waterway transport of goods or passengers between EU countries

WHAT IS THE AIM OF THE REGULATION?

It seeks to ensure that operators who transport goods or passengers by inland waterway have the freedom to provide these services between EU countries.

KEY POINTS

The regulation applies to the transport of goods or passengers by inland waterway for journeys between EU countries and transit through them.
All operators transporting goods or passengers by inland waterway are allowed to carry out these services between EU countries provided they meet certain conditions:
- they are established in an EU country in accordance with the laws of that country;
- they are entitled in that country to carry out international transport of goods or passengers by inland waterway;
- they use vessels which are registered in an EU country or, where they do not have registered vessels, they have a certificate of membership of an EU country’s fleet;
- they satisfy the requirements laid down in Regulation (EEC) No 3921/91 according to which non-resident operators may transport goods or passengers by inland waterway within an EU country (known as ‘cabotage’).
Special rules on the rights of operators from non-EU countries exist under the Revised Convention for the Navigation of the Rhine (Convention of Mannheim), the Convention on Navigation on the Danube (Belgrade Convention) or may arise from other international agreements or treaties of which the EU is a party.

FROM WHEN DOES THE REGULATION APPLY?

It has applied since 2 August 1996.

BACKGROUND

For more information, see ‘Inland waterways’ on the European Commission's website.

MAIN DOCUMENT

Council Regulation (EC) No 1356/96 of 8 July 1996 on common rules applicable to the transport of goods or passengers by inland waterway between Member States with a view to establishing freedom to provide such transport services (OJ L 175, 13.7.1996, pp. 7–8)