| The European Union, with the aim of resolving the problem of structural overcapacity in the fleets in inland waterway transport and incapability of the increase in demand in this sector to absorb this overcapacity, on 27 April 1989, commenced to carry out the measures of structural improvements in inland waterway transport. The European Union pursued to reduce the structural overcapacity by means of scrapping schemes coordinated at Community level. In the meantime, The European Union adopted supporting measures to avoid aggravation of existing overcapacity or the emergence of further overcapacity.The author, before referring to the measures of structural improvements in inland waterway transport in the European Union, briefly introduces the procedures on the basis of which the European Union set down the relevant policies in respect of the structural improvements in inland waterway transport. The said procedures comprise The Third Reading. The Policy-making institutes involve: Commission, Council and Parliament. Acts, with regard to the aforesaid policies, of the institutes include: Regulations, Directives, Decisions, Recommendations and Opinions.In the second chapter, the author introduces the general situation of inland waterway transport in European Union. Inland waterway transport is of great significance in the whole of the transport system of the European Union. However, the major drawback to this sector in the European Union is its chronic overcapacity. In the early 1990s, the Commission estimated that there was an overcapacity of approximately 15% in this sector.In the third chapter, the initial phase of the policies regarding the structural improvements in inland waterway transport in the European Union, the author introduces the background on which the above-mentioned policies were framed. A series of regulations and measures such as Council Regulation(EEC) No 1101/89 were taken and the scrapping schemes were introduced by the European Union seeking to reduce the structural overcapacity and avoid aggravation of existing overcapacity. The said scrapping schemes involve mainly: Scrapping Funds, Annual contributions, Scrapping premiums, the 'old for new' rule, Special contributions, Equivalent tonnage, Mutual financial support and the hortative measures.In the forth chapter, the developing phase of the policies regarding the structural improvements in inland waterway transport, i.e. between 1990 and 1994, the European Union did a lot of work as follows: amending, as a result of German unification, relevant policies relating to inland waterway transport; amending, for the sake of the vessel-scrapping initiative in 1993, relevant regulations; amending Mutual financial support measures; amending, for the sake of the vessel-scrapping initiative in 1994, relevant regulations. Meanwhile, the Economic and Social Committee of the European Union drew up and adopted relevant opinions on the development of the inland waterway transport. Also, the important measure taken by the European Union is the extension of the' old for new 'rule.The European Union allocated for 1995 the community contribution from the general budget to the scrapping funds. Between 1996 and 1998 a new initiative with respect to the structural improvements in inland waterway transport was launched by the European Union for the purpose of reducing inland waterway transport capacity by about 15% through the three- year scrapping scheme. The above scrapping scheme was coordinated at EU level and financed by the inland waterway transport industry, the Member States concerned and the European Union. At the same time, the European Union amended the original regulations and rules and laid down new ones in accordance with 1996, 1997 and 1998 scrapping plans. The European Union brought its objective to success, cutting fleet capacity totally 15,000,000 tons.From 1989 to 1998, during a period of ten years, the results of the vessel-scrapping schemes organized by The European Union are positive.However, it appeared... |
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