Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2000-07-06-Speech-4-379"
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"en.20000706.14.4-379"2
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"Mr President, Commissioner, living as I do in a country with an extensive coastline and many islands – in fact I live on an island –, I have first-hand experience of the value of short sea shipping. Of course, the basic sector is passenger transport, but the report under discussion focuses on freight transport in response to the Commission's communication.
It is worth noting that, although the volume of traffic carried by this form of transport has risen over recent years, road transport has fared better, meaning that special attention needs to be given to this more environmentally-friendly form of transport. The current situation is still pretty off-putting for the public, which is given the impression that this is a fairly outdated, slow and complicated means of transport. The development of maritime transport is further hampered by administrative procedures in need of improvement and delays, an incomplete infrastructure and the obscure fees levied by some ports, together with unnecessary mooring charges. But we can still improve its image and turn it into a viable alternative solution for types of freight which can be transported by various methods. I refer, of course, to places which are not restricted to maritime transport, such as islands, which must always warrant special attention. The private sector has a basic role, but there are aspects of the market which call for intervention by public-sector agencies at regional, national and European level and even financial aid, so that islanders do not feel that they are second-class Europeans.
Developing cabotage has an immediate impact on social and economic development in our regions and hence on the cohesion of the European Union. The rapporteur has obviously approached the subject matter in this spirit and has taken her work very seriously; as an islander I feel obliged to extend her my special thanks.
I should also like to thank Commissioner Verheugen who, I see, has put his headphones on. Thank you for your attention earlier on during the explanations of vote by the honourable members."@en1
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