Inland waterway transport: Community fleet capacity policy

The Common Position incorporates the two amendments of the European Parliament accepted by the Commission. The Council proposes a number of changes to the amended Commission proposal, the main ones being as follows: - the maximum period for the application of the "old for new" rule is reduced from 5 to 4 years starting from the 29th April 1999; - the ratio must be continually reduced to bring it as quickly as possible and in regular stages to zero, within four years at the latest from 29th April 1999; - Member States have the option of excluding vessels under 450 tonnes from the scope of the Regulation; - the surplus funds from structural improvement schemes intended for the reserve fund will be derived solely from financial contributions from the industry; - the decisions to be taken by the Commission on the operation of the "old for new" rule will be subject to prior consultation of the Member States and the organisations representing inland waterway transport at Community level - deletion of the Article and corresponding recital dealing with the negotiations which the Community should initiate with Switzerland and other third countries for the implementation of the Regulation. The Council did not adopt those European Parliament amendments providing for the reintroduction of the scrapping scheme, the consultation of Member States or the reactivation by the Commission of the "old for new" rule only after expiry of the transitional period.�