In the preparation of Romania’s EU membership the Inland Waterway sector of Romania needed to be adjusted to EC regulations as well as to Western EU market principles. The main objectives of this TA project are:

• To estimate the inland waterway transport potential;
• To identify existing constraints and/or obstacles related to the present situation of the Romanian fleet and Inland waterway infrastructure, at technical and financial level;
• To prepare a comprehensive strategy and action plan for the development of the sector, including appropriate supporting measures in order to overcome the above constraints tackling both inland waterway infrastructure and operators/users. 

These objectives should contribute to two main development requirements: (i) modernisation of Romania’s fleet and the waterway network at EU standards; and (ii) improvement of the financing system of the Romania’s waterways, by laying down a fiscal and taxation policy in line with EU policies in this field.

Services provided by ECORYS were the following:

• Undertaking a sound inland water transport market analysis;
• Technical assessment of Romania’s inland fleet;
• Economical and financial analysis of the situation and potentials of the shipping companies in the inland waterway.