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MARCO
POLO II (2007-2013)
Introduction
On 15th July 2004 the Commission presented a proposal COM (2004) 478 to establish
a second, significantly expanded "Marco Polo" programme from 2007 onwards.
Relying on the proven mechanisms of the current programme, Marco Polo II includes
new actions such as motorways of the sea and traffic avoidance measures. The
programme, which will have a budget of €400 million for 2007-2013, has
been extended
to countries bordering the EU. The Commission estimates that every €1 in
grants
to Marco Polo will generate at least €6 in social and environmental benefits.
Executive Summary
In its recent revision of the White Paper on the European Transport
Policy, the European Commission suggests a shift from the road to more
environmental friendly modes where appropriate, especially on long distance,
in urban areas and on congested corridors.
In order to continue the support action engaged on that scheme with the first
Marco Polo Programme between 2003 and 2006, the European Union has decided
to extend its support to the economic operators with the Marco Polo II Programme[1]
hereinafter called "the Programme".
It aims at achieving a traffic shift or avoidance that is a substantial part
of the expected yearly aggregate increase in international road freight traffic,
measured in tonne-kilometres, to short sea shipping, rail and inland waterways
or to a combination of modes of transport in which road journeys are as short
as possible.
It will run between 2007 and 2013 with a global budget of 400 M€ (2004 value)
and will be the subject of yearly calls for project proposals. In principle,
each call will be published in the last quarter of every year and be closed
in the first quarter of the following year.
It proposes to support actions to reduce congestion, to improve the environmental
performance of the transport system and to enhance intermodal transport, thereby
contributing to a more efficient and sustainable transport system which will
provide EU added value without having a negative impact on economic, social
or territorial cohesion.
Five distinct types of action will be supported:
- Modal shift actions, which focus on shifting as
much freight as economically meaningful under
current market conditions from road to short sea
shipping, rail and inland waterways. They may be proposing start-up
of new services
or significantly enhance existing services.
- Catalyst actions change the way non-road freight
transport is conducted in the Community. Under
this type of action, structural market barriers in
European
freight transport are overcome through a highly innovative concept:
causing a real break-through.
- Motorways of the sea actions achieving a door-to-door
service, which shift freight from long road
distances to a combination of short sea shipping
and
other modes of transport. Actions of this kind are innovative at
a European level in terms of logistics, equipment,
products and services rendered,
- Traffic avoidance actions integrate transport into
production logistics: reducing freight transport
demand by road with a direct impact on emissions.
Actions of this type shall be innovative and shall not adversely
affect production output and production workforce
- Common learning actions enhance knowledge in the
freight logistics sector and foster advanced
methods and procedures of co-operation in
the freight
market. Under this type of action, improvement of co-operation
and sharing of know-how
is encouraged
Regulation (EC) No. 1692/2006 of the European Parliament and of the
Council of 24 October 2006 establishing the second
"Marco Polo" programme for the granting of Community
financial assistance to improve the environmental
performance of the freight transport system ("Marco
Polo II"), OJ L 328, 24.11.2006, p 1.
http://eur-lex.europa.eu/JOHtml.do?uri=OJ:L:2006:328:SOM:EN:HTML
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