1. Inland Navigation Europe Issues to be addressed
EC river expert group meeting
Brussels, 2 October 2009

2. Inland Navigation Europe
What is INE
European membership platform of national & regional promotion bodies and waterway managers
Set up in 2001 with support of European Commission
Brussels office: monitors & advocates measures to make moving goods safely and sustainably on navigable rivers, canals and lakes more attractive
Members develop & share best practices and concepts, inform and support entrepreneurs to use transport by waterway
Goal of INE
to enhance competitive and sustainable mobility by promoting the existing asset of congestion-free transport by waterway in waterborne cities and regions
No professional organisation
Government-related bodies
Gathering market and public actors:acts as neutral interface
Public task: enhancing sustainable mobility

3. Background Clean transport and healthy environment in balance
Negative externalities from transport on the increase
Negative externalities from IWT relatively low and decreasing
EU transport policy: promotion and development of IWT
Transport project compliance with EU environmental law in art.8 of TEN-t guidelines
INE advocates
Win-win situations where possible
Two ways integration: increase of sustainable transport and increase of sustainable environment
Integration from the start at project design stage
No professional organisation
Government-related bodies
Gathering market and public actors:acts as neutral interface
Public task: enhancing sustainable mobility

4. Why EC guidance document
3 problems
Lack of IWT specific guidance related to HBD
Legal uncertainty
Vertically organised authorities and planners
Objectives
IWT infrastructure development to proceed in a way compatible with nature conservation
Reduce uncertainty
No professional organisation
Government-related bodies
Gathering market and public actors:acts as neutral interface
Public task: enhancing sustainable mobility

5. What Desirable outcome
General indication on how integrated planning can be undertaken
Neutral and specific guidance to promote appropriate assessment under HBD (focus) for IWT infrastructure projects
To fit in with WFD assessment for navigation in river basins
Concise and user-friendly guide and check list for
Reference document for step-by-step planning: 1st target group - Waterway managers planning and executing the works (Member States)
All those players involved in the planning, approval and development of IWT infrastructure projects (sector organisations, NGOs, related authorities, broader public)
European Parliament
No professional organisation
Government-related bodies
Gathering market and public actors:acts as neutral interface
Public task: enhancing sustainable mobility

6. Issues to be addressed Guidance
Advantages of IWT contributing to EU policy goals
Reference to transport policy and rules of EU, River Commissions, International Agreements related to IWT and IWT infrastructure, Navigable and potentially navigable rivers and lakes in context of HBD and WFD
Environmental conservation and IWT infrastructure development works
Not rewrite what exists, focus from general to IWT infrastructure development
Clarification: bound by and faithful to the text of the relevant Directives and the wider principles underpinning Community policy on nature conservation and IWT infrastructure development, ie no new rules but guidance on the application of those that exist
Case-by-case approach
Not only avoidance measures for deterioration and disturbance
Look at positive and proactive measures for win-win at project design stage
If negative assessment: alternatives, overriding public interest and compensation
Whom to contact when further questions
No professional organisation
Government-related bodies
Gathering market and public actors:acts as neutral interface
Public task: enhancing sustainable mobility

7. Extra Sources of good practice Dissemination Group Guidance: NEEI
Navigation: East of Vienna, Seine-Scheldt, PIANC (Working with Nature and technical papers), PLATINA
Dissemination
Works only when everyone knows the guidance exists
Group
List and exchange initiatives, activities and good practice to learn from
Promote and practice two ways integration
Help to reduce mental walls between vertically organised authorities, planners and organisations at international, national, regional, local level
Mid-term: contribute to multi-disciplinary approach widen to all waterway stakeholders (aware of many cross-cutting elements)
No professional organisation
Government-related bodies
Gathering market and public actors:acts as neutral interface
Public task: enhancing sustainable mobility

8. water is the way to go
INE  Inland Navigation Europe 
 phone