On 14 May, the Alliance Seine-Escaut held its General Assembly and Stakeholder Conference in Paris, on board a boat moored along the Seine.
The Alliance Seine-Escaut is an association of local and regional authorities, socio-professional bodies, consular chambers and personalities involved in the construction of the Seine-Scheldt European river link. It is chaired by Philippe Marini, Mayor of Compiègne.
On this occasion, the association wanted to give the floor to the owners of the Seine-Scheldt network. Gilles Ryckebusch, VNF’s Nord-Pas de Calais regional director and manager of the Seine-Scheldt EEIG, and Jérôme Dezobry, chairman of the SCSNE management board, presented the latest progress on studies and works on the European wide-gauge river network in France and Belgium.
Jérôme Dezobry underlined the success of the public enquiry prior to the environmental authorisation for the works on sections 2 to 6 of the Seine-Nord Europe canal, between Passel and Aubencheul-au-Bac. The favourable opinion of the investigating commissioner on 2 May 2024 marks an important step towards the environmental authorisation expected this summer. Work is progressing on the Oise, with the re-banking of the river and the construction of 4 bridges.
Gilles Ryckebusch recalled recent advances in France, Flanders and Wallonia, notably the reconstruction of the Pont des Trous in Tournai, the renovation of 4 secondary locks on the Seine upstream and the inauguration of the Condé Canal at Pommeroeul.
Thanks to the support of the Alliance Seine-Escaut, the European Union, the Walloon Region, the Flemish Region, the French government, the Hauts-de-France, Normandy, Ile-de-France and Grand-Est regions and local authorities, the Seine-Scheldt network is moving forward and becoming a reality on a daily basis!
