European Commission

High Level Group

Extension of the major trans-

European transport axes to
the neighbouring countries
and regions

15 September 2006
Directorate general for Energy and Transport
 Background

 New political and geographical context:

 Adoption of the Guidelines for trans-European transport
networks on 29 April 2004 for the territory of EU27
 Accession of 10 new Member states on 1 May 2004

 Need to integrate regional exercises into a coherent framework:

 Pan-European Corridors and Areas mostly in EU territory
 TRACECA (Transport Corridor Europe-Caucasus-Asia)
 Euro Mediterranean regional transport programme
 South East European MoU signed in 2004

 European Neighbourhood and Partnership Policy launched in

preparation of the financial perspectives 2007-2013

Directorate general for Energy and Transport 2

Directorate general for Energy and Transport 3
 The High Level Group

The Commission Decision of 29/9/2004 established the Group

 Chair of the Group - Ms Loyola de Palacio
 26 neighbouring countries: Albania, Algeria, Armenia,
Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Croatia, Egypt,
former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Georgia, Israel,
Jordan, Lebanon, Libya (as observer), Morocco, Moldova,
Norway, Palestinian Authority, Russia, Serbia & Montenegro,
Kosovo, Switzerland, Syria, Tunisia, Turkey and Ukraine
 EU27: Member States + Bulgaria and Romania
 EIB, EBRD and World Bank
 Commission provided the secretariat for the Group
Directorate general for Energy and Transport 4
 The Group’s methodology

Following the mandate given by the

Commission, a 3-step approach agreed
upon from the outset of the work

1. Criteria for identifying major axes

2. Criteria for selecting priority projects

3. Horizontal measures (“soft” measures)

Directorate general for Energy and Transport 5

 Methodology - Step 1

Criteria for identifying major axes

 Institutional dimension
a priority axis should facilitate and stimulate the development of
exchanges between the European Union and its neighbours by
extending the major TEN axes to the neighbouring countries or
broader regions, taking into account the existing priority
reference networks and corridors in the different regions
 Functional dimension
in addition to carrying significant volumes of inter-regional long-
distance traffic, a priority axis should be an important route for
international traffic flows between the EU and the neighbouring
countries or regions, in particular in the longer term. In addition,
a priority axis can be a route that allows traffic to avoid a major
environmental bottleneck or barrier

Directorate general for Energy and Transport 6

 Methodology – Step 2

Criteria for selecting priority projects

First stage – pre-selection
 Part of one of the priority transnational axes
 Sufficient size and significance
 There should be a firm commitment by the country
concerned

Second stage – evaluation

 Improving economic efficiency
 Enhancing environmental sustainability of the transport
system
 Improving transport safety and security

Directorate general for Energy and Transport 7

 The Group’s recommendations

 5 major transnational axes to focus

cooperation and financing

 2 indicative lists of infrastructure

projects

 >20 horizontal measures: less costly

and easier to be implemented rapidly
Directorate general for Energy and Transport 8
 Recommendations - 5 axes

 Motorways of the Seas

 Northern axis
 Central axis
 South Eastern axis
 South Western axis

Directorate general for Energy and Transport 9

Directorate general for Energy and Transport
 Recommendations - Projects

 List 1 – Projects of short to medium term interest

(completion by 2020, 62 projects, 35 bn €)

 List 2 – Projects of longer term interest

(completion beyond 2020, 16 projects, 10 bn €)

 Further studies and project analyses necessary,

particularly concerning the economic viability, technical
specification, environmental and social impact and
financing mechanisms

Directorate general for Energy and Transport 11

 Recommendations - Horizontal

 Technical, legal and administrative interoperability

(railways, signalling systems, infrastructure charging)
 Efficient border crossing procedures (implementation of
relevant international conventions (UNECE, IMO), “one-
stop” offices, simplification and harmonisation of trade and
transport related documentation)
 Effective and compatible traffic management and
information systems, satellite navigation (Galileo)
 Safety and security (harmonisation of standards and
procedures)
 Application of international conventions and environmental
assessment, public procurement procedures etc. in
accordance with the EU standards, donors' funding rules
and best international practice.

Directorate general for Energy and Transport 12

 Way ahead

 Public consultation open December-March

 Report and recommendations welcomed
 Environmental organisations expressed some concern regarding
the lack of environmental analysis
 Effective cooperation structure supported
 Commission will present a Communication to
the Council and the European Parliament in
autumn 2006
 Connections with other countries to be
developed – cooperation with UNECE

Directorate general for Energy and Transport 13

Further information:

http://ec.europa.eu/ten/transport/index_en.htm

e-mail catharina.sikow@ec.europa.eu
tel. +32-2-2962125

Directorate general for Energy and Transport 14