The CDNI disposal fee rises to 8.50 euros. In accordance with the decision of the Conference of the Contracting Parties (CPC) of the CDNI Convention, the disposal fee will increase from 7.50 euros per 1,000 liters of bunkered, tax-free gas oil to 8.50 euros as of 1 January 2021.

The aim of the Convention

The Convention on the collection, deposit and reception of waste generated during navigation on the Rhine and other inland waterways of 9 September 1996 (CDNI) entered into force on 1st November 2009. It has been adopted by six states: (Belgium, France, Germany, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and Switzerland).

The aim of the Convention is:

  • waste prevention,
  • canalizing the disposal to the dedicated waste reception facilities along the waterway network,
  • ensuring adequate funding in view of the polluter-pays principle and facilitating compliance with the prohibitions of discharge of the waste into surface water.

The reason for the increase of the disposal fee

All ships which operate within the territorial scope of the CDNI and bunker tax-free gas oil are obliged to pay the disposal fee. The reason for the increase of the disposal fee – in 2019, the International Compensation and Coordination Body (ICCB) compared and analysed the waste disposal fees collected in the previous years to the costs of waste collection in the CDNI contracting states. According to this analysis, in the first years after the Convention entered into force, the revenues exceeded the costs. However, the development in the recent years show that the additional revenues are declining and that a deficit is to be feared from 2021 onwards. The ICCB therefore recommends in its report to increase the disposal fee. This report contains an analysis of the factors influencing the setting of the disposal fee in order to maintain a balanced financing system.

Next steps

The IWT CDNI-Committee is working intensively on the topic concerning developments of the disposal fee and future of the network of waste disposal stations. We will try to work out a common position in view of the Round Table Meeting in April 2021 in Strasbourg which will reflect the position of the inland navigation industry.

Elena Vostrikov
27 October 2020