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Bidding gets under way for Marco Polo 2007 funding

12th April 2007, Page 12
12th April 2007
Page 12
Page 12, 12th April 2007 — Bidding gets under way for Marco Polo 2007 funding
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The EU is making €57m available to help move freight off the roads and on to other modes of transport. Keith Nuthall reports.

DROUPS OF HAULIERS. their Issociations, highways authorities Ind transport service providers lave been asked to bid for €57m .£39m) in grants this year from he European Union's (EU) :enewed Marco Polo freight :eform programme.

It is designed to move freight off EU roads and on to rail, short-sea Ind inland shipping or forms of :ornbined transport.

The European Commission EC) has just issued its first formal :ails for project proposals meeting his goal under a new €400m £270m) 2007-13 Marco Polo )rogramme, which is far better unded than its 2003-6 predecessor: 007 spending is €22m (£15m) nore than in 2006.

The EC stresses that the .nlarged programme would target irge projects.

Its general aim, Brussels says, is o "help companies during the high-risk start-up phase of new services for shifting freight off the road and on to short-sea shipping, rail and inland waterways", with topranked projects offered "grant contracts of up to six years".

The EC wants market sustainability: -Only... projects that can survive on the market even after they cease receiving EU financial support have a chance at receiving a grant."

Applicants must apply in groups, covering at least two European countries.

Looking at the detailed funding guidelines, the smallest subsidies available are for training pro grammes and exchanges a minimum €250,000 (£170,000) for a maximum 50% of total project costs.

An important new priority is large production logistics initiatives that would see manufacturers working with transport services to create business models that reduce freight traffic by at least 25 million vehicle-kilometres.

• www.ec.europa.eu/transport/ marcopolo/guide proposers/ index_en.htm


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