Statistics of goods transport by inland waterways

PURPOSE: to introduce new statistics on goods transported by inland waterways. To repeal previous legislation on this subject (Council Directive 80/1119/EEC).

LEGISLATIVE ACT: Regulation 1365/2006/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council on statistics of goods transport by inland waterways and repealing Council Directive 80/1119/EEC.

CONTENT: the purpose of this Regulation is to establish common rules for the production of Community statistics concerning inland waterways transport.

Inland waterways are an important part of the Community’s transport network. For economic and energy consumption reasons inland waterways transport is one of the objectives set out in the EU’s common transport policy. In order to monitor the development and use of inland waterways in the EU, however, the Commission must have recourse to common statistics. This task was previously done through Directive 80/1119/EEC on “statistical returns in respect of carriage of goods by inland waterways”. Given that the provisions in this Directive no longer correspond to present day needs this new Regulation has been approved and the old Directive repealed.

The Regulation has been framed in such a way so that all modes of transport should be collected according to common concepts and standards. To realise this objective Council Regulation 322/97/EC on Community Statistics will act as a reference framework for provisions laid down by the Regulation.

More specifically, the Regulation states:

-          The Member States must transmit data relating to inland waterways transport in their territories to Eurostat.

-          Member States with a total volume of goods transported annually by inland waterways exceeding 1 million tonnes will need to provide the information according to the data set out in Annex to this Regulation.

-          The first period of observation will begin on 1 January 2007.

-          Data transmission should take place as soon as possible and no later than five months after the end of the observation period.

-          Eurostat will develop the methodological requirements and criteria designed to ensure the quality of data produced. Similarly, Eurostat will be responsible for assessing the quality of the data transmitted.

-          The Commission will prepare a report on the implementation of this Regulation by 15 October 2009.

ENTRY INTO FORCE: 15 October 2006.

TRANSITIONAL PROVISIONS:  For the statistical year 2006, Member States will continue to supply data in accordance with the old regime – i.e. Directive 80/119/EEC, which will be repealed and be replaced with effect as from 1 January 2007.