Practically everything will be settled year

In reflection of Europe on its maritime policy and the Green Paper in preparation, the Government said last year a mission at the General Secretariat to the sea and the General ex-Commissariat of the Plan. What do you expect from the report that the Working Group, called "Poseidon", must soon return to the Prime Minister

Dominique Perben: One can isolate the maritime policy of transportation. Today, in the world, the development of international trade, globalization and the extraordinary acceleration of maritime traffic dominate. It is. The question is how the France, second country in the world in terms of maritime space, will benefit. This assumes a des bien articulées well articulated. Maritime policy is primarily an economic challenge. It must be that the France, it is an asset to Le Havre and Marseille, in the same way as Rotterdam and Antwerp are assets to the Netherlands and the Belgium. It is also a challenge in terms of jobs. Coastal 500,000 jobs are linked to the sea, half of them in tourism. Added a third aspect, complementary to the two other and which has many, security. We need to protect seafarers and coasts.

It is based on these economic issues for our shipping companies, employment and security that I expect the proposals, in particular of the Poseidon group. On the action of the Sea State, the working group advocates to export the French model. It is also a wide place the environmental fact and the integration of the different components of the maritime policy. Poseidon will also confirm the approach of the Green Paper. Finally, it advocates the creation of a Council of the oceans in the image of the national Council of the coastline.

The importance of these issues warrant not a Department or a secretariat of State of the sea

It must be that there is a Minister in charge of the sea because we need a political authority of pulse and expression. Marine environments need an interlocutor and the Government must be capacity to speak with them. It must also, and it exists, an inter-ministerial structure as we have inherently complex device combining functions of security, with also a military dimension, civil, economic, functions...

Also, I think that has any interest in that the Minister responsible for the sea is that of the equipment. This is the case. A good relationship between the service of Maritime Affairs and equipment services seems to me very important, because, said sea, said the coast. The General Secretariat of the sea is complementary. A use, I can only welcome this device, the system works well, and, he interested in some of our neighbours.

With decentralization, local communities become owners of the infrastructure of the ports of national interest to January 1. That is that this will change for them

I note that regions wished to regain some of these ports to make the elements of development in their regional policies. They will be better inserted in regional economies and realization of infrastructure strategies. Practically, everything will be settled year. These transfers are accompanied in some cases of agreements with other communities to promote the best existing infrastructure.

Might some basins of decentralized ports be assigned to the pleasure

It is a matter of economic opportunity. I do everything in my power to accelerate, resume achievements of marinas, either conventional facilities, full water or dry ports. I asked the engineer of bridges and causeways Yves Gauthier a report on the reasons why some projects were at a standstill, and we will unblock them! For the most part, these are conversions of existing spaces but there are also some extensions. Already I think that we have a potential of 7,000 places within two years and 30,000 to the troops-year horizon. Currently, lost opportunities for the benefit of the Italy of the Tunisia... But these are profitable operations that require no public money and carrying tourist developments.

The European Commission criticized the France of not him having notified the device of the tax strategy of support for investments granted under the approval of the Government and demand the reimbursement of the tax savings. What is this folder

We wrote in the amending Finance Bill a new device applicable to January 1, 2007. With Thierry Breton, we are in discussion with the Commission and we are hopeful of a solution by the end of the year.

The classification by the International Federation of workers of the ITF transport bis registry French gir in flag of convenience is the risk to owners see their ships stranded in foreign ports. Transfers under foreign flags are to fear next year when the TAAF, previous bis Pavilion, will cease to exist. How get out of this situation

It seems absolutely abnormal that the gir can be regarded as a flag of convenience. I said to the professionals and I requested the opening of discussions Bernard Scemama, President of the Higher Council of the Merchant Navy, which comprises the trade union organizations. I have since the feeling that things are moving in the right direction and that the unions and the owners are willing to discuss. The fact that there is already 174 ships including 20 container under this registry also contributes to awareness.

Where are the projects of motorways of the sea intended to encourage the transfer of part of road traffic on maritime lines

With our Spanish counterparts, we will launch an appeal to plans for a motorway of the Atlantic sea between the South of the Spain and the North of the France. I think many in this formula, especially on the Atlantic and the Mediterranean. After to have agreed with our Spanish colleagues, we we are close to our Italian counterparts to see how to develop services between the Spain and the Italy, but also short lines because of the distances of the order of the day allow the economy to a driver. Crossings of several days are much more complicated to handle for the road. In this context, it is not to support projects that are simply traditional services. However, there are links such as Toulon-Civitavecchia we support with aid at startup and to which there is not much to become motorways of the sea, combining speed, frequency and potential of loading.