Copyright 2006, Ministry of Transport, Public Works and Water Management http://english.verkeerenwaterstaat.nl/english/rss.aspx en Thu, 17 May 2012 04:14:12 +02:00 VenW Nieuws venw-internet@minvenw.nl http://www.verkeerenwaterstaat.nl/englishnews/newsitems/statesecretaryatsmareachesagreementswithchinaonfireworks.aspx It has become easier for the Netherlands to keep illegal and unsafe fireworks off the market. State Secretary Joop Atsma (Ministry of Infrastructure and the Environment) signed an agreement today, Wednesday, 16 November, to improve the cooperation between Dutch and Chinese inspectors. The agreement pertains to the exchange of information and agreements on control and law enforcement between Chinese and Dutch inspectors. State Secretary Atsma: “This agreement intensifies the already good collaboration and mutual trust between China and the Netherlands in the area of fireworks. We want to ensure that as few as possible substances and products which are harmful for both people and the environment find their way onto the Chinese, Dutch and European markets.” 2011-11-16 http://www.verkeerenwaterstaat.nl/englishnews/newsitems/thenetherlandsandchinalearnfromoneanothersrivers.aspx Rijkswaterstaat, the executive arm of the Ministry of Infrastructure and the Environment, is going to collaborate with the Chinese government and exchange knowledge of the respective basins of the Rhine and the Huai rivers. To establish this collaboration, State Secretary Atsma of the Ministry of Infrastructure and the Environment will sign an agreement this week in China. The respective basins of the rivers Rhine and Huai are very similar but, due to its climate, floods occur much more frequently in China. By sharing experiences and using the same methods for predicting water drainage and managing crises, Rijkswaterstaat can learn quite a lot from the Huai river. ‘’This knowledge is vitally important to us for coming up with plans to protect the areas adjacent to the Rhine,’’ says State Secretary Atsma. 2011-11-15 http://www.verkeerenwaterstaat.nl/englishnews/newsitems/atsmavisitschinawithdutchtradedelegation.aspx From 14 November up to and including 18 November, State Secretary Atsma of the Ministry of Infrastructure and the Environment and 26 Dutch companies will make working visits to Shanghai, Bengbu and Beijing. The purpose of these working visits in China is to further reinforce, with the aid of these companies, the long-term relationship with China. The trade delegates represent the sectors of aviation, airport development, traffic management, soil technology, water management and the environment. 2011-11-14 http://www.verkeerenwaterstaat.nl/englishnews/newsitems/thestateandgelderlandreachagreement.aspx The state, the province of Gelderland and the Arnhem-Nijmegen metropolitan region have reached an agreement in principle on the extension of the A15 from Bemmel to the A12 near Zevenaar. The extension of the motorway, that currently comes to a dead-end, will give the Netherlands a good international corridor for road transport between the port of Rotterdam and Germany. It will also signal the disappearance of a significant traffic bottleneck in the eastern Netherlands and bring an end to the traffic nuisance for residents of the Arnhem-Nijmegen area. 2011-06-23 http://www.verkeerenwaterstaat.nl/englishnews/newsitems/transitionalarrangementunderthebinnenvaartwet.aspx With effect from 1 July 2011, every pleasure cruiser who wishes to (continue to) sail ships exceeding a length of 25 metres will need to have a valid Groot Pleziervaartbewijs [Navigation Licence for Large Pleasure Craft]. 2011-06-20 http://www.verkeerenwaterstaat.nl/englishnews/newsitems/provinceofzuidhollandexpandsseawards.aspx Today, the Sand Engine project, an innovative type of coastal defence, will be launched along the coast of Zuid-Holland. The Sand Engine project will expand the coast seawards making the coast safer and creating an additional nature and recreation area. 2011-01-17 http://www.verkeerenwaterstaat.nl/englishnews/newsitems/cabinetmembersforinfrastructureandtheenvironmenthavetakenoffice.aspx Since 14 October, Melanie Schultz van Haegen has been the new Minister and Joop Atsma has been the new Vice Minister of the Ministry of Infrastructure and the Environment. 2010-10-14 http://www.verkeerenwaterstaat.nl/englishnews/newsitems/electricallypoweredvehiclesarebooming.aspx The Dutch approach to electric cars works. Good co-operation between private and public parties has resulted in major first steps towards accelerating the introduction of electrically powered vehicles. 2010-09-13 http://www.verkeerenwaterstaat.nl/englishnews/newsitems/dutchbusinesscommunitygoeselectricinshanghai.aspx Today, Dutch Transport Minister Eurlings and Peter Bakker, CEO of TNT, revealed the first fully electrically powered car for the courier and express parcel industry. The Dutch TNT branch will immediately put the first five of an entire fleet of electric cars into service in the Chinese city. 2010-09-07 http://www.verkeerenwaterstaat.nl/englishnews/newsitems/ministereurlingsonaneconomicmissiontoshanghaisingaporeandhongkong.aspx From 5 to 10 September, Minister Eurlings of Transport, Public Works and Water Management will be paying a working visit to Shanghai, Singapore and Hong Kong. The Minister will be accompanied by a business delegation comprising 32 leading organisations and companies from the Dutch transport and logistics sector. The working visit will focus on further strengthening trade relations with the Netherlands. 2010-09-03