UNUnited Nations Economic Commission for Europe

Press Releases 1999

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Geneva, 6 May 1999

ECE/TRANS/99/5

GREEN LIGHT TO THE EUROPEAN INLAND WATERWAY NETWORK

The European Agreement on Main Inland Waterways of International Importance (AGN) will enter into force on 26 July 1999.

This international Agreement, done by all European countries in Geneva in the framework of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UN/ECE), identifies the main international inland waterway links in Europe and establishes uniform infrastructure and operational parameters to which they should conform.

The international E inland waterways network defined in the Agreement covers around 28,000 km of main navigable rivers and canals and about 350 ports of international importance extending from the Atlantic Ocean to the Ural mountains and connecting 37 countries in Europe and beyond. It also includes coastal routes.

Nine European countries: Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Netherlands, Republic of Moldova, Romania, Slovakia and Switzerland have so far become Parties to the AGN, thereby committing themselves to the development of the parts of the E inland waterway network in their territories according to the uniform conditions agreed upon in the Agreement and in the context of their own investment programmes.

The Agreement underlines the importance of inland water transport which, in comparison with other modes of inland transport, presents economic and environmental advantages and may, therefore, contribute to reducing congestion, traffic accidents and negative environmental impacts in the pan-European transport system, particularly along main congested international transport corridors in Europe.

The AGN completes the already existing UN/ECE European Agreements AGR, AGC and AGTC, which established the international E road, E rail and E combined transport networks respectively.

For further information, please contact:

José Capel Ferrer, Director

or

Viatcheslav Novikov, Economic Affairs Officer
Transport Division
United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UN/ECE)
Palais des Nations
CH - 1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland

Telephone: (+41 22) 917 24 00 / 78
Fax: (+41 22) 907 00 39
E-mail: [email protected]
[email protected]