COUNCIL RESOLUTION of 24 October 1994 on structural improvements in inland waterway transport (94/C 309/04)

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

NOTES with concern that an imbalance between the supply of, and the demand for, capacity continues to exist as a consequence of the economic downturn and the structural changes noted over several years on the inland waterway transport market. Consequently, the freight rates are also still at an unacceptable level or continue to show a downward trend,

CONSIDERS it urgently necessary, for the purpose of reorganizing the western European inland waterway transport market and ensuring the lasting competitiveness of the inland waterway transport sector, to take more effective measures than those currently applied so that a healthy profit situation can be re-established in the future,

REFERS to Council Regulation (EEC) No 1101/89 (1) and Commission Regulation (EEC) No 1102/89 (2) on structural improvements in inland waterway transport,

CONSIDERS that as an adequate measure for ensuring the lasting competitiveness of the inland waterway transport trade, a new comprehensive structural adjustment is necessary,

CALLS UPON the Commission to submit proposals, or to adopt other suitable measures within its field of competence, with a view to improving the effectiveness of the regulation on structural improvements, NOTES in this context the Commission's intention to increase the ratio between the tonnage to be scrapped and new tonnage to 1,5 : 1, referred to as the 'old for new' ratio,

ALSO CALLS UPON the Commission to present, before 1 January 1995, an overall proposal on inland waterway transport, concerning in particular the future organization of the market and scrapping operations.

Done at Luxembourg, 24 October 1994.

For the Council

The President

J. BORCHERT

(1) OJ No L 116, 28. 4. 1989, p. 25. Regulation as last amended by Regulation (EC) No 844/94 (OJ No L 98, 16. 4. 1994, p. 1).

(2) OJ No L 116, 28. 4. 1989, p. 30. Regulation as last amended by Regulation (EC) No 3433/93 (OJ No L 314, 16. 12. 1993, p. 10).