91998E4052

WRITTEN QUESTION E-4052/98

by Eolo Parodi (PPE) and Guido Viceconte (PPE) to the Commission

(13 January 1999)

Subject: Community measures for short-haul sea transport

Since there are approximately 35,000 kilometres of coastline and more than 600 ports situated near industrial centres, short-haul sea transport could be a solution to the problem of road congestion in Europe and offers advantages in terms of energy consumption, the environment and economic and social cohesion in the outlying regions of the Union.

Can the Commission say:

1. what follow-up has been given to its Communication of 5 July 1995 (COM(95) 317) on the development of this mode of transport;

2. what practical measures it envisages to develop and encourage short-haul coastal shipping?

Answer given by Mr Kinnock on behalf of the Commission

(9 March 1999)

1. Following the Commission's 1995 Communication on Short Sea Shipping, a first progress report was produced in 1997(1) and a further report will be published in April 1999 in response to the Council's invitation to produce such reports at two-yearly intervals. It is intended that this new Communication will examine the potential of Short Sea Shipping in the framework of sustainable and safe mobility, the "image" of this mode of transport, its integration in European logistic transport chains, the progress achieved in promoting Short Sea Shipping during the last few years, and the barriers remaining to the further development of such transport. The new Communication will include recommendations for further action.

2. One of the conclusions of the 1995 Communication was that the main impetus for making Short Sea Shipping a more commercially attractive and viable alternative to transport users has to come from the maritime industries themselves. However, there are certain actions that could be taken at other levels.

The Commission has consequently supported several projects relating to Short Sea Shipping and ports under the Fourth framework programme for research and development. These include a project aiming to co-ordinate all the development work and to make the results of individual projects available to all interested parties.

Short Sea Shipping projects have also been supported under the Community Pilot Actions for Combined Transport (PACT), and port-related projects have been carried out with trans-European network (TEN-T) financing. In addition, the Commission has financed a study on documentary requirements in Short Sea Shipping. In the Mediterranean region, a package of regional maritime projects has qualified for financing under MEDA.

These projects and studies will be examined in the above-mentioned new Communication.

The Commission supports the efforts of the shipping industries, in particular within the structure of the Short Sea Shipping panel of the Maritime Industries Forum (MIF) to develop Short Sea Shipping roundtables as a forum in which practical solutions can be found for problems affecting shipping and port operations. The Commission also supports regional co-operation on matters relating to Short Sea Shipping in Europe, including certain third countries.

(1) SEC(97) 877.