Future Transport Networks: Keen Battle for EU Funds

The EU Parliament and Member States have reached an agreement on securing EUR 7.23 billion within the EU budget during the period 2007-2013 for the needs of the Trans-European transport network, explained on Wednesday the spokesman for the European Commission vice-president Jaques Barrot.

This figure was increased by EUR 500 million, compared to decisions made during the December summit, but still covering only one third of the means necessary for financing 30 important transport projects in the EU, according to the Commissions projections.

After passing the final decision within the EU budget, which should take place in May, Brussels will present a list of selected projects and the amount of financial support after possible budget cutbacks.
 
Since all Member States will have to approve the whole list, during the next months one would have to expect an intensive battle for the mentioned financial means assigned for the construction of infrastructure.
 
The Commission also rejected former announcements that their final proposal would include only five priority projects with already appointed coordinators. The spokesman underlined that it was too early to make such assurances.
 
The group of projects for which the coordinators have already been selected includes traffic links between Berlin, Munich and Rome, the construction of the traffic axis along the Danube River, the building of a fast railroad track between Portugal, Spain and the south of France as well as the railroad track Lyon-Milan-Trieste-Ljubljana-Budapest and the railroad route between Tallinn, Riga and Warsaw.