IP/06/1260
Brussels, 26 September 2006
Green light for Czech state aid to compensate inland waterway transport operators The European Commission has decided today not to raise any objections to the aid measures of the Czech authorities to compensate inland waterway transport operators for losses due to insufficient boating conditions on the river Elbe. The aid will encourage transport of goods in less suitable conditions, so that the maximum possible amount of goods is transported on the waterway and not transferred to roads. The aid will cover a maximum of 60% of the losses incurred directly because of low water level. The losses eligible for aid will only be those which correspond to non-transported goods due to water under the economically justified level, i.e. 200 cm (the vessel’s draught must be up to 140 cm). The aid will not be allowed to exceed 30% of costs related to transport.
The aid will be granted to operators in the case of:
limited navigation (loss making journeys which are not economically justified) during insufficient navigation conditions (the level of water below 200 cm, i.e. below 140 cm of the vessels’ draught) and no navigation (the level of water below 170 cm, i.e. below 110 cm of the vessels’ draught).
The Czech authorities have undertaken structural steps in order to remedy the present situation and permanently eliminate this problem on the river by constructing a Decin lock. Therefore, the proposed aid has an interim character in order to allow the continuation of the inland navigation activity. For this reason it will be granted only till 2010 when the construction of the lock is planned to be accomplished.
The Commission has found that the proposed aid measure is in line with EU legislation[1].
The Commission has noted that the aid is necessary in the interest of the Community and proportional to the minimum required for the realisation of its objective. The aid will contribute to attain the objectives set out in the Transport White Paper[2], namely to "help provide the Europeans with efficient, effective transportation systems that (...) protect the environment" and "implement the NAIADES action plan for river transport", which is established to "promote and strengthen the competitive position of inland waterway transport (...)"[3].
The aid is limited to compensation of unpaid, external and infrastructure costs of competing modes of transport, it will be granted on non-discriminatory bases, it is transparent and limited in time. The Commission has thus concluded that the aid was compatible with the proper functioning of the common market.
[1] Article 3(1)(b) of the Council Regulation 1107/70.
[2] Communication from the Commission to the Council and the European Parliament, Keep Europe Moving – Sustainable mobility for our continent, Mid-term review of the European Commission's 2001 Transport White Paper - COM(2006) 314
[3] Communication from the Commission on the promotion of inland waterway transport “NAIADES”, An Integrated European Action Programme for Inland Waterway Transport - COM(2006) 6
