Discover the commitments behind the Canal
Find here the structural commitments of the Société du Canal Seine-Nord Europe and the project partners.
Discover the commitments behind the Canal
Find here the structural commitments of the Société du Canal Seine-Nord Europe and the project partners.
The idea of a river link for large boats between the Seine basin and the North European network emerged as early as 1975. The Canal du Nord, opened 10 years earlier, had in fact shown its limitations because it was built on plans conceived at the end of the 19th century.
In 1993-1994, a public debate outlined the feasibility, needs, and main characteristics of the future project. Against a backdrop of increased European inland waterway activity , Voies Navigables de France (VNF) conducted preliminary studies in the following years. Initial consultations on the choice of the canal's route took place in 1997-1998, selecting from 21 options divided into three categories.
Several important steps are then taken:
In 2010, initial preparatory work (lowering the A29 motorway in the Somme region) began. The following year, competitive dialogue commenced with a view to awarding a public-private partnership (PPP) contract , the procedure chosen in the 2000s for the project's implementation. However, with the consequences of the 2008 financial crisis, the conditions for the PPP's success were no longer met, and the procedure could not be completed, bringing the project to an abrupt halt.
However, in a context where environmental and soon climate issues are on everyone's lips, waterways remain a modern and appropriate solution . In 2013, the desire to revive the Seine-Nord Europe Canal existed, both in France with the launch by the government of a reconfiguration mission entrusted to the deputy from the North, Rémi Pauvros, and at the European level with the declaration adopted on October 17 in Tallinn by the European Commissioner and the French, Walloon, Flemish and Dutch transport ministers.
Between 2013 and 2015, the initial project was reconfigured: each characteristic was studied with a view to optimizing economic and environmental performance . The route was modified between the Somme and Pas-de-Calais departments following further consultation with local authorities. This led to a revised public inquiry in the fall of 2015, which resulted in a revised public declaration on April 20, 2017.
Prior to this, another key development in the project's management occurred: a project company, the Société du Canal Seine-Nord Europe (SCSNE), was created by an ordinance of April 21, 2016, signaling the project's relaunch. Local authorities—the Hauts-de-France Region, and the departments of Nord, Oise, Pas-de-Calais, and Somme—sit on the Supervisory Board alongside the French State and the European Union. This new public entity was entrusted with the project's management.
But in June 2017, the French government decided to put major projects on hold. After the summer, strong support from elected officials in the Hauts-de-France region for the "Yes to the Canal" campaign led to an agreement between the government and local authorities : the Seine-Nord Europe Canal Company would be transformed into a local public establishment managed by elected officials from the Region and the Departments, which finance the project, in partnership with the government and with the support of the European Union. This change was enshrined in the Mobility Orientation Law of December 24, 2019, and came into effect on April 1, 2020. For the first time, the major local authorities of a region will be leading the development of a major infrastructure project of regional, national, and European importance.
On June 27, 2019, Europe committed to the project with the adoption by the European Commission of the Implementing Act. This is a fundamental step for the project, confirming the European Union's growing support for the Seine-Scheldt network since its inclusion in 2004 as a priority project of the European core network. This implementing act sets out and specifies the completion deadlines for the various sections of the Seine-Scheldt network until its full opening, in particular with the commissioning of the Seine-Nord Europe Canal . Its infrastructure is now eligible for EU funding of up to 50% of the total cost.
Added July 2, 2019 - Updated September 13, 2022
In parallel, the project's financing is also evolving, with a larger share coming from Europe, amounting to 40% (compared to 6% in the initial project), and a respective allocation of €1,1 billion from local authorities and the French government. On November 22, 2019, in the presence of the President of the Republic, the final financing agreement was signed in Nesle. SCSNE now has the visibility and resources necessary to successfully complete the entire project.
Begun over thirty years ago, the Seine-Nord Europe Canal has gradually matured to become a central link in the European Seine-Scheldt waterway , a major investment in the ecological transition, promising a bright future and fostering economic and social development for the regions it serves . A sign of the times, its adaptation to the economic and environmental challenges of the 21st century took less than five years, based on advanced eco-design principles and aligned with High Environmental Quality (HQE) standards . The Seine-Nord Europe Canal is now a concrete example of the Third Industrial Revolution in the Hauts-de-France region (Rev3), promoting a more sustainable and inclusive region for and with its people, communities, and the planet!
