The European Commission has approved Belgian government plans to pay out Euro 3 million this year to subsidise investments in combined transport facilities for road transport services in Flanders, with the aim of reducing congestion in this crowded corner of Europe, writes Keith Nuthall.
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In particular, Belgium will fund the development of combined transport equipment, (such as containers, swap bodies and semi-trailers), transhipment facilities, intermodal loading and unloading systems, as well as electronic information systems, designed to boost the reliability of these systems.
Explaining its decision to allow the payment of these subsidies, which will be funnelled to businesses via the Flanders regional government, the Commission said it wanted to “achieve a better balance of modes in the European Union transport system.” It noted that its transport white paper encourages “environmentally friendly and intermodal transport in order that they become competitive alternatives to road haulage and reduce road freight,” adding: “The development and competitiveness of combined transport are therefore in the common interest.”
