Transport of goods by inland waterway: freedom to provide services

The Committee on Transport and Tourism adopted the draft recommendation by Mr Fernand LE RACHINEL on the common position by the Council on common rules applicable to the transport of goods and passengers by inland waterway between Member States with a view to establishing freedom to provide such transport servies 595/0106(SYN)). Up to now, inland waterway transport has only been partially covered by Community provisions on market access. Austria's accession to the EU has also made it necessary to adopt rules on access to the inland waterway transport, because inland waterway transport agreements concluded by Austria with two Member States of the EU are incompatible with the principle to provide services in this area. The Committee followed the rapporteur and accepted the common position, including some minor alterations in the final text.�