Executive summary
The European Commission tabled in June 2021 a 35-point action plan[1] to boost the role of inland waterway transport (IWT) in our mobility and logistics systems. The core objectives are to shift more cargo over Europe’s rivers and canals, and facilitate the transition to zero-emission vessels by 2050. This is in line with the European Green Deal and the Sustainable and Smart Mobility Strategy, which set the goal of increasing transport by inland waterways and short sea shipping by 25% by 2030, and by 50% by 2050.
Within the PLATINA3 project[2], the objective of Task 5.2 of work package 5 (Roadmaps and Stakeholder engagement) is to prepare the policy implementation plan for IWT (roadmap and matrix)”.
This document is the result of the execution of PLATINA3 Task 5.2. It contains a systematic overview of all 35 NAIADES-III actions and describes their implementation status as well as possible critical issues. The main purposes of this document are to:
- Monitor: Provide a topical overview of the implementation status of all planned NAIADES-III Actions;
- Alert: Allow for early identification of critical issues of common interest andthe identification of implementation gaps;
- Consolidate: Coordinate the technical inputs from WP1 to 4 which feed in the 35 actions;
- Coordinate: Facilitate a structured policy dialogue (between European Commission, EU Member States, third countries, River Commissions and IWT Industry) and support policy coordination within the Commission Expert Group on Inland Waterway Transport (NAIADES Implementation Group);
- Remedy: jointly identify the need for additional policy activities and/or define remedial actions to overcome identified issues and risks.
The current document includes activities taken at the European level, in order to implement the 35 NAIADES-III Actions as well as received input from Member States and River Commissions.
The first version of this document was prepared after the publication of the NAIADES III Communication in June 2021. Several versions of this document were shared and discussed with the NAIADES Implementation Expert Group during the project lifetime of PLATINA3 (January 2021 – June 2023). Therefore, during the past two years, the version has been further extended and updated by means of inputs from PLATINA3 partners as well as further inputs from the European Commission, EU Member States, third countries, River Commissions and IWT Industry on the ongoing and planned national policy activities related to the NAIADES-III objectives.
Seen the end of the PLATINA3 project by June 2023, this document is therefore the final version of this PLATINA3 deliverable. This final version presents the status on the date of 10th of May 2023 as regards policy implementation. It is proposed to the European Commission to continue the monitoring and updating process of this document during the planned successor of PLATINA3. A project proposal was made for “PLATINA4Action”, a successor of PLATINA3 answering to the call for proposals in Horizon Europe “Towards the implementation of the inland navigation action programme with a focus on Green and Connected Inland Waterway Transport”[3]. The PLATINA4Action project is expected to start in January 2024 with a duration of 36 months (until December 2026).
[1] See for more information: https://transport.ec.europa.eu/transport-modes/inland-waterways/promotion-inland-waterway-transport/naiades-iii-action-plan_en
[2] See for more information www.platina3.eu
[3] See for more information: https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/portal/screen/opportunities/topic-details/horizon-cl5-2023-d5-01-17