In 2009 the project has taken further steps

The record, long hampered by the financial mistrust and caution to engineers, continues to move regularly... but to a train of river towpath. The 106 kilometres of the river Seine Nord Europe canal will be the missing link to connect in 2015 the 600 km of the basin of the Seine ("captive" for boats to large template far) to the 20,000 kilometres of canals and European rivers. There is still almost two years before the first Pickaxe blow can be given and the objective of completion in 2015 risk of surreptitiously drag 2016 if grains of sand jamming the TRA picnic of this record in public-private partnership (PPP). Yet the President of the Republic on several occasions ruled for this exemplary achievement, which would be the largest site of its quinquennium. The vow of the Elysee Palace would be that the first Pickaxe blow can be given before the presidential election of 2012.

However, today, the case floundered in the ultimate closure of funding estimated at 4.2 billion euros (4.5 with four ports logistics platforms to be built on the route). This amount will be shared 50 - 50 between the public sector on one side and a private one consortium must realize and exploit the future canal to great template. Some were disappointed that the folder does not appear in projects funded by the large national debt. "The President of the Republic is very engaged on this issue," to reassure Alain Gest, President of VNF, which admits "a slight lag in the calendar which was well held until now."

In the entourage of the Minister of transport, it was explained that, on the 2.1 billion that must bring public partners, the largest is already locked: 900 million made by the State would be via Agency (Afitf) France transport infrastructure financing, the European Union has agreed to 333 million, the regions concerned have signed to 550 million. Remain therefore some 350 million euros by the dozen or so departments concerned, possibly by the Haute-Normandie region and various cities. But the current pre-election period "is hard and tensions". Ad hoc funding mission is driven by the General engineer of bridges Yves Cousquer, and finance Inspector General Francis Idrac. Dominique Bussereau hopes that it will lead before end of January. Philippe Marini, Senator Mayor of Compiègne (Oise), general rapporteur of the commission of finance and President of Seine River North Association, believes that "nothing prohibits to launch competitive dialogue without the financing plan being with curl". He asked that "the State take its responsibilities." "Person, he said, is now eager to derail or delay the project. But it excludes any financial participation of the communities. "It is out of their reach," he says.

"Competitive dialogue".

In 2009, the project has taken further steps. After the financing agreement of the three Committee areas born in March, two groups candidates were officially announced in June (but not yet formally retained) ducts by public works Bouygues and Vinci Concessions. In September, the intergovernmental commission which governs cross-border relations with Walloons and Flemings studied traffic and tolls on the itinerary of Conflans in Ghent. End of the year, a technical agreement was reached with representatives terri communities on the governance of the 4 platforms ports that will be installed on the new route. These platforms, output of the PPP will be managed by specific entities in which local authorities will be involved and which may be open to the private sector. End of 2009, has sealed off the record of consultation with a thousand of pages and defining the technical requirements and performance expected of the future canal.

"Competitive dialogue" between the State and the two candidates private towards to refine the project is expected to last twenty-one months. This panel discussion is to improve the technical solutions, including the realization of a magnificent pontcysyllte aqueduct. It will identify complementary activities (transfer of water to power the Lille metropolitan area, staging touris ticks, sites of production of new energy...) and guarantees must be given on the cost to fund. VNF said not to expect that the green light from the Government to launch this last but long straight line which will lead to retain one of the two candidates to sign a contract, and then start the work.