The Executive Agency for Competitiveness and Innovation (EACI) is pleased to announce that the next Marco Polo Conference will take place on 5th and 6th October in Vienna.

The event will bring together public authorities at European, national and regional level and key representatives of the freight and logistic business with an interest in sustainable transport.

The conference will cover various aspects of co-modality with a particular focus on inland waterways. Following the tradition of Marco Polo conferences, the event programme foresees presentations of some ongoing Marco Polo projects and a technical visit to the Port of Vienna.

A press conference will be held on Tuesday 5th October, in the morning. On this occasion all journalists will have the opportunity to meet and ask questions to:

• The Director of the EACI;
• A representative of the European Commission's Directorate-General for Mobility and Transport;
• A representative of the Austrian Ministry of Transport, Innovation and Technology;
• A representative of the City of Vienna;
• The Vice-president of the Austrian Economic Chamber

Marco Polo is the European Union's funding programme for projects which shift freight transport from the road to sea, rail and inland waterways.

This means fewer trucks on the road and thus less congestion, less pollution, and more reliable and efficient transport of goods.The current, second Marco Polo programme runs to 2013 and features:

• more money: the programme budget is €450 million Euros
• more themes: this programme includes "motorways of the sea" and "traffic avoidance" projects
• more countries: Countries bordering the EU are also now eligible for funding

For additional information on the event and to register online please visit: http://ec.europa.eu/transport/marcopolo/events/conf_en.htm

Source: DG Move, July 2010