Statistics of goods transport by inland waterways. Codification

The European Parliament adopted by 602 votes to 22, with 7 abstentions, a legislative resolution on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on statistics of goods transport by inland waterways (codification).

The European Parliament adopted its position at first reading under the ordinary legislative procedure, taking over the Commission proposal.

According to the Consultative Working Party of the Legal Services of the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission, the proposal in question is limited to a straightforward codification of the existing texts, without any change in their substance.

The proposal establishes common rules for the production of European statistics concerning inland waterways transport. It shall enable the Commission to have statistics concerning the transport of goods by inland waterways in order to monitor and develop the common transport policy, as well as the transport elements of policies on the regions and on trans-European networks.

In particular, it provides that Member States in which the total volume of goods transported annually by inland waterways - whether national, international or transit - exceeds 1 million tonnes shall provide data in accordance with the tables in Annexes I to IV to the Regulation. The effect of this Regulation is limited to those Member States where this mode of transport exists.

The Commission may adopt delegated acts to amend the Regulation with a view to increasing the threshold above 1 million tonnes of statistical coverage of inland waterway transport, to adapt definitions or provide for new ones, as well as to adapt the Annexes to this Regulation to reflect changes in coding and nomenclature at international level or in the relevant Union legislative acts.