Winter session 2020 of the Contracting Parties Conference

Strasbourg, 29.01.2021 – The Conference of the Contracting Parties (CPC) met by video conference on 15 December 2020 for its winter meeting. Chaired by Mrs Muriel Bouldouyré, head of the French delegation, the meeting brought together the representatives of the six Contracting Parties and representatives of national institutions. The CPC also benefited from the extraordinary participation of a representative of the European Commission (DG MOVE) during the discussions on extending the scope of application of the ban on the discharge of domestic waste water.
 

Covid-19 pandemic and exceptional measures to limit the spread of the virus

 
During the first wave of the pandemic, different approaches were observed within the CDNI’s jurisdiction to limit the spread of the virus when filling out the used-oil logs. Although it was possible in some signatory States to continue depositing oily and greasy waste as usual, other stations opted to issue digital attestations of deposit instead of manually filling in the logbook, to comply with social distancing. In other States, a separate form was filled in and added to the logbook as a loose-leaf form.
 
The Contracting Parties agreed that these practices only came into being in the context of an exceptional situation and agreed to revert to the normal practice of filling in used-oil logs once the health crisis is over.
 
Concerning the issuing of used-oil logs, the CPC approved the posting online, for information purposes, of a non-exhaustive list of competent issuing authorities under the CDNI.
 

Part A: oily and greasy waste

Disposal charge: increase in the amount to €8.50 / 1000 litres on 1st January

 
The disposal charge for oily and greasy waste will increase to €8.50 for 1000 litres of zero-rated bunkered gasoil with effect from 1st January 2021.
 
In July 2020, during its summer session, the CPC adopted a resolution amending the amount of the disposal charge (see Resolution 2020-I-2). To give the information the widest possible circulation, a certain number of communication activities were undertaken prior to entry into force, and the corresponding documentation was updated accordingly.
 
The winter session was an opportunity to confirm the correct implementation of this amendment from a technical perspective. The CDNI’s electronic payment system (SPE-CDNI) and terminals throughout the CDNI’s jurisdiction were also changed and updated to allow the increased disposal charge to come into operation on 1st January.
 
Finally, the report on the annual evaluation of the financing system was presented.
 

Part B: cargo-related waste

Ratification status of the provisions for dealing with gaseous residues of liquid cargoes

 
The Contracting Parties noted the state of progress with the procedures for ratifying the amendment to the Convention adopted in June 2017 (see Resolution 2017-I-4).
 
To date, three signatory States have ratified the new provisions for dealing with gaseous residues of liquid cargoes. Luxembourg deposited the instrument of ratification on 7 February 2020. The Netherlands deposited its instrument of approval at the end of the lockdown period on 3 July 2020. Germany published the ratification act on 11 September 2020 and the instrument of ratification will be deposited as soon as the health situation permits.
 
Regarding Belgium, France and Switzerland, ratification work is continuing at national level and ratification is anticipated during the first quarter of 2021.
 
A workshop on degassing, organised jointly with the European Commission’s DG ENV, is planned sometime in 2021. The event aims to bring together the relevant players and more clearly identify financing opportunities and requirements on the ground.
 
The CDNI working group is tasked with continuing its enhanced monitoring of the implementation of the amended Convention and is endeavouring to compile a map of existing and future degassing stations. This map, once finalised, can be made available for information purposes on the CDNI website.
 
The amended Convention will come into force six months after the final instrument of ratification has been lodged with the depository authority, the Secretary-General of the Central Commission for the Navigation of the Rhine (CCNR). All the information on degassing regulations can be found on the dedicated page of the website.
 

Part C: other waste

Extension of the scope of the ban on the discharging of passenger vessel domestic wastewater

 
The draft resolution on the extension of the scope of application of the ban on the discharge of domestic wastewater to vessels with between 12 and 50 passengers has been put on the agenda of the next CPC in June 2021.
 
At the same time, the Dutch delegation is conducting a study to evaluate the impact on the fleet that was in service before 2008 of a reduction in the transitional provisions concerning the obligation to have a collecting tank or on-board sewage treatment plant. The findings will be available for presentation in 2021.
 

A look back at 10 years of implementation of the CDNI

 
The winter session was the opportunity to present two publications written to mark the 10th anniversary of the entry into force of the CDNI, celebrated in 2019.
 
In a commemorative collection, the CDNI’s founding members revisit the Convention’s origins, retracing the thinking that preceded the creation of this pioneering international system.
 
A look back at the past ten years is published in parallel to promote awareness of the Convention, its principles, its players, and how it operates. This evaluation highlights the achievements, and work that has been done, and their importance for the inland navigation sector.
 
In revisiting the highlights of recent years, the two works provide an overview of the key moments of an international Convention ready and willing to confront tomorrow’s environmental challenges. The evaluation of the 10 years’ implementation of the CDNI and the collection of reminiscences of its founder members can be downloaded from the CDNI website.
 

2021 meetings

 
For the time being, and at least until April, the meetings of the CDNI’s various bodies will continue by videoconference. The next meeting of the CPC will be on 22 June 2021. The working group will meet on 6 and 7 April 2021, followed by a round table on the future of part A, on 8 April 2021. All the meeting dates, and agendas, are available on the CDNI website’s dedicated page.