Inland Navigation Congress - Vienna, 13-15. February 2006

In the framework of the Austrian EU Presidency, the Federal Ministry of
Transport, Innovation and Technology is organising an Inland Navigation
Congress in cooperation with the Austrian Federal Economic Chamber and via
donau - Österreichische Wasserstraßen-Gesellschaft mbH.

This conference will take place from Monday, February 13th until Wednesday,
February 15th, 2006 in Vienna.

The central theme of the conference will be the Communication of the
European Commission entitled “An Integrated European Action Programme for
Inland Waterway Transport”, which will be published by the end of 2005. The
conference will address its main fields of action:
- Create favourable conditions for services
- Stimulate fleet modernisation and innovation
- Promote jobs and skills
- Improve image and co-operation
- Provide adequate infrastructure
- Improve the institutional framework

In preparation for the High Level Meeting scheduled for February 15th with
the relevant top officials of the member states as well as of the Danube
riparian states, an industry congress for the shipping industry will be held
on February 14th at the Austrian Federal Economic Chamber in the presence of
shippers, shipping companies, representatives of the ports and other
lobbies. The focus will be a discussion on the proposed measures of the EC
Communication from the point of view of the shipping industry. Taking into
account the results of the industry congress the high-level meeting will
define the next steps for the implementation of the EC Communication on the
community level.

Further information:
Austrian Federal Economic Chamber
Transport and Infrastructure Policy Department
Tel.: +43 5 90 900 4021
verkehrspolitik@wko.at
via donau - Österreichische Wasserstraßen Gesellschaft mbH
Tel.: +43 1 595 48 96
events@via-donau.org

http://www.inlandnavigation.org/index.php3