Participants:

Chair – no organization Nico van Lamsweerde
BE Tourism East-Flanders Inge Stevens
DK The inland waterway of Randers Fjord/Gudenaa River Anne-Mette Knattrup
IT Cilviltà dell’Acqua Eriberto Eulisse
IT GAL Delta 2000 Giancarlo Malacarne
NO Telemark County Council Pål Kleffelgård
NO Telemark County Council Thrond Kjellevold
SE Värmland County Administrative Board/Karlstad Katarina Nordmark
UK Canal & River Trust Chris Barnett
UK Canal & River Trust Stephen Higham
NL Vereniging Regio Water Manita Koop
NL Stichting Recreatietoervaart Nederland Manon van Meer
NL Stichting Recreatietoervaart Nederland Bianca Diebels

 

Welcome and Opening

The chair welcomes the representatives of the partner organizations. This meeting is important. A sound organization of NIWE is needed in order to get European fundraising.

2. Partner introduction

Everyone introduces themselves. There are new representatives and a new Italian organization present.

3. Minutes

The minutes of the meeting in Toulouse are approved. We must now decide on what the topics are and what actions are needed.

4. Legal status

A formal organization with legal formality gives obligations. Setting up a EGTC is too expensive with too many administrative obligations.

Compliments to the Working Group (Tony, Chris Barnett, Chris Bailey, Henk, Helmut, Manita, Nico, Manon and Bianca) who prepared the ToR/MoU. Manon is giving an update on what the outcomes of the workgroup are.

In the previous meeting it was decided – as the EGTC was rejected – to look for other options e.g. either an European association or a foundation. Both were again expensive and both liability and place of establishment were discussed. A new option was proposed by CRT -a partnership or a so called alliance.

The advantages of an alliance are that it is less costly, reduced risks regarding liability, is very flexible and it strengthens the partnership. The disadvantage is that itself as alliance can not apply for European funded projects as it is no formal organization with a legal status. But we could still apply for these projects and decide later on which member will be the lead partner. The Terms of Reference (ToR) which were drawn up for the foundation were adjusted for the alliance and supplemented by a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). All members sign the MoU which refers to the ToR.

If the partnership is expanding in the future and we have enough funding the idea still stands of a formal legal status as described in the business plan. Due to this point we will look to the possibilities of an EEIG (European Economic Interest Grouping).

Remarks to the MoU:

A summary of the main goals (from the ToR) must be added to the MoU.

Remarks to the ToR:

  • 1.1.: add the vision of the outcomes of Waterways Forward (why do we need this network?) and the main tasks (art.2 of the ToR)
  • 1.2.: The MoU and ToR are separated, so if necessary the ToR can be changed without having members to re-sign the MoU. But the two belong to each other. They are a ‘simple constitution’ to be a representative body and have one voice in Europe. In order to achieve lobby goals we need both national and regional organizations to represent waterways.

Every member can affiliate with other (regional) parties/organizations. Via the Network important persons or organizations can be reached. We can strengthen each other.

– art.1.5.: there must be a difference in membership and fee between organizations which are responsible for the management of waterways and smaller organizations/universities etc . which are identified with inland waterways. Natural persons (advisors) can not be a member. They are not allowed to vote. Only by invitation an advisor/consultant agency can participate in a meeting and bring in their knowledge. But they do can participate in an Working Group. Full Members agree on new members.

The tasks in the ToR must be prioritized and put in a timetable. Some goals are more pressing then other goals. These tasks and main activities will be send to the partners and at a short notice members will prioritize the goals, keeping in mind the EU policy and send it back to the secretariat.

In the MoU the goals must also be marked, e.g. one the strategic goals is to get EU fundraising to reach our goals.

At first the fees of the Network are used to support the secretariat and to set up the Network. The fees are needed to make the annual plans possible. Later we can apply for fundraising but that is another stage. The estimated fee for 2014 is 500 euro per partner organization.

Smaller waterways are not related to TEN-T. This could be one of the tasks in 2015 e.g..

We must focus on how we can use the ‘family name’, how we can get into programs, how we can use everybody’s knowledge. Inform each other.

  • page 3, 5a: add ‘At least’ …
  • page 3, 5d: representation can only be accepted in written

It’s easier to apply for EU funding when you can prove that NIWE is already existing/registered. The (actual) address is not essential.

  • page 4, 5e: add ‘invitation of consultants’
  • page 6: delete ‘telegram’

It is decided that at this moment there is no need for a Secretary General. SRN will continue the secretariat and it is agreed that Nico will be the chair till the End of 2014. His travel and accommodation costs will be compensated by NIWE. The proposed budget and the fees of 2014 are accepted. Estimated is that 6,000.00 Euro will be spend by the secretariat (60% of a total budget of 10,000.00). On how the remainder will be spend depends on the priority of the goals.

5. Finances

Update by Bianca: Three organizations still need to pay the invoice of € 242,-. One payment should be on its way. It takes quite some time to get all the payments. Giancarlo/GAL Delta as a new member agrees to pay the fee of 2014.

6. Promotion

Update by Katarina:

The flyer has been updated. This flyer is meant to find new interested partners. It is approved. Due to claiming the domain names on the Network it was suggested to change the name into IWNE. The partners decide that the name of NIWE remains Network Inland Waterways Europe. Also the website is constructed and all Full Members get access to a in-log part of the website. Katarina will take care of that. So Full Members can add information about their organization on the website.

Promotion will be put on the agenda to discuss it further next time.

7. Next steps

The next meeting will take place in The Hague (the Netherlands) on September 22nd. VRW will host the meeting.

8. Up date EU funding program 2014

The scheme is delayed –> November 2014.

DG Move in Brussels can help us with one of the 11 Corridors. Stephen talked to Paula. She gave ideas about future themes as: training, multifunctional transport, employment, soc. economy. CRT has one project in Horizon 2020. The INTERREG A and B programs are about making more jobs and more traffic. Cultural heritage is not in a theme in B programs. EU policy is more strict now. It is wise to follow this policy

TEN-T: all 11 corridors have a coordinator. Now broader view on improving bottlenecks. Perhaps cultural heritage and tourism can be integrated. Nico will contact DG Move about TEN-T and the Connecting Europe Facility before the next meeting.

The WF policy recommendations must not be forgotten as these were the reason for setting up the network.

Closing remarks

Katarina: all members should make a lot of effort in getting more Full Members Chris: – agrees on Katarina’s remark. Widening the partnership is necessary.

– we must prepare the funding application for setting up the network on time Stephen: we must keep each other informed about happenings and put the events on the

calendar on the website

Bianca: the details of the representatives change a lot. It would be nice if the secretariat has only one contact per organization. It is decided that all members send the name/ details of their representative.

Inge: is not sure yet how to organize the membership for her organization Thrond:    is not available on September 22nd.

Nico thanks everybody for this fruitful meeting.

Actions

  • Tony: check with PIANC and Nico will check with INE and the Flemish ministry in Brussels.
  • Véronique: send a suggestion for a text to Katarina about combining themes, like economic activities, public investments, leisure,
  • All: prioritize the goals at short notice
  • Katarina: give Full Members access to the website
  • Manita: host the meeting in The Hague on September
  • Manon: correct the ToR/MoU and send them to the members to be signed
  • Nico: contact DG Move before the next meeting about the corridors of the TEN-T

Presentation of Civiltà dell’Acqua

It is important to integrate not only the waterways but also the minor arte facts, include cultural landscape, city environment (urban landscape). Multifunctional area. Exchange knowledge of EU researchers i.e. (See enclosed slides).