HARMONIZATION OF RULES ON TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS FOR INLAND WATERWAY VESSELS

BJELICA VLAJIĆ Iris (Војна акaдемија Универзитета одбране у Београду), iris_bjelica_vlajic@yahoo.com

Waterborne transport is a special branch of the economy, which contributes to the overall economic development of the country. That is why the growth and increase of the fleet are the strategic goals of every country. Inland waterway transport is characterised by reliability, energy efficiency and a high degree of safety, but also the possibility of connecting with other industries and types of traffic. Trade and communication within and outside the European single market are based on unhindered traffic. In order to facilitate traffic and increase safety, it is necessary to harmonize the technical conditions imposed on shipping companies by Union legal acts, international treaties and national laws of the Member States. The European Commission encourages the use of inland waterways in the transportation system due to low noise emissions and the removal of congested road networks in European regions. The Republic of Serbia has adopted the legislation for inland waterways and has harmonized it with the EU legislation.

Keywords: Inland waterways, technical standards, EU legislation