First public consultation and first workshop on state aid schemes

26 March 2019 is a date marked by two important events in the framework of the GRENDEL project. Both events will take place at the premises of the Danube Commission in Budapest.

The working day will start with the first public consultation organised in GRENDEL. Its aim is to make sure that vital interests of Danube fleet operators are collected systematically and are well represented in the on-going work of regulatory bodies. The consultation will be aligned with the work programme of the European Committee for Drawing up Standards in the Field of Inland Navigation (CESNI) and with the topics addressed by the activities of the Danube Commission covering technological developments, standardisation, education and training affaires.

The working day will continue with the second workshop (State Aid workshop) organised in the framework of the GRENDEL project, continuing to engage representatives of public authorities and of the industry to set up a comprehensive, long-term and feasible transnational strategy to modernise the Danube fleet.

Limited investment capacity of the IWT sector and the lack of public support measures hamper the overall performance of Danube vessels and their fully integration into the transnational transport and logistics chains. Therefore, the aim of this workshop will be to gather elements and data that could be further used in the elaboration of a State Aid Scheme model as part of the GRENDEL project.

The next day, 27 March 2019, the Partner Meetings of the GRENDEL project will take place at the same premises.