CEF Transport Coalition calls for more investments in EU transport

The CEF Transport Coalition, a collaboration of European associations representing transport modes, ports, shippers, forwarders and other stakeholders, presented its call for more CEF budget for transport under the next MFF at the Connecting Europe Conference in Tallinn, European Barge Union said in a press release.

Transport has massively contributed to economic growth and jobs in Europe. It is expected to cope with increasing volumes in the coming years. In order to face the challenges ahead a wellfunctioning infrastructure is essential, reason why the Transport Coalition called for more CEF budget in the next MFF. It took the annual Conference on Connecting Europe in Tallinn as frame to raise awareness at the Ministers of Transport, Commissioners and MEP’s for a better distribution of EU funds under the next MFF. Investing into transport infrastructure will benefit the European economy and will create future jobs.

Inland waterway transport on its 40.000 km waterways can absorb much higher shares in the future and thus release the congested roads in Europe, emphasizes the Secretary General of the European Barge Union EBU, Theresia Hacksteiner, as partner in the Transport Coalition in Tallinn. Its growth rate in the past 20 years was more than 25 %, compared to only 4,7 % in rail transport.

For the increase of its modal share it is crucial to properly maintain the waterways and remove the existing bottlenecks for which sufficient financial support is needed. Inland Waterway Transport offers a powerful sustainable answer to expensive road congestion.

The European Barge Union (EBU) represents the majority of the inland navigation industry in Europe. Its members are the national associations of barge owners and barge operators of meanwhile 9 leading European inland navigation countries as well as 2 international organisations of river cruise and Sea-River shipping. EBU’s main objective is to represent the interests of the inland shipping industry at a European and international level and to contribute to the development of a sustainable and efficient European transport system.