IP/08/1500

Brussels, 14 October 2008

Trans-European Transport Network: Coordinators present Vice-President Tajani with annual reports for 2007-08

The eight European coordinators have each presented Vice-President Tajani with their third annual report giving a detailed ‘state of play’ of the priority projects for which they are responsible. Welcoming the reports, Mr Tajani said, ‘These reports provide the Commission and the other EU institutions with a detailed analysis of nine major European projects. I am pleased to see how much progress has been made in the past year. Also, in reminding us of the realities on the ground, the reports represent important input into discussions that are just getting under way on a review of policy on the Trans-European Transport Networks.’

The annual reports are a further step forward for the European coordinators as they continue to facilitate the implementation of the projects for which they are responsible. The reports reflect the coordinators’ own perspectives and analysis and contain a series of proposals and recommendations to enable all stakeholders in the projects to move forward.

For the first time, activity reports have been submitted by the two new coordinators (for inland waterways and ‘motorways of the sea’), Ms Peijs and Mr Valente de Oliveira. Their reports help to give a more complete overview of the Trans-European Transport Networks.

Mr Tajani praised the work of the European coordinators and stressed the importance of their role: ‘Clearly, progress has been made on the projects thanks to the close personal involvement of the coordinators. Given that the TENs are key instruments of economic growth and sustainable development, the coordinators will no doubt continue to have an important role to play in the future.’

The TEN policy review will identify upcoming challenges for the TEN-T and enable added weight to be given to the coordinators’ activities. The first phase of the review will see the publication at the end of 2008 of a Green Paper on the future of the policy. This will set out policy options for the coming decade, taking particular account of targets in the fight against climate change and technological advances in the fields of transport and energy. It will also be geared to enhancing the TEN-T’s contribution to achieving the objectives, as regards the economy and economic and social cohesion, of a still-expanding Community.

The coordinators’ activity reports are available here:

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

Mr Van Miert: Berlin - Palermo rail link

Mr Davignon: South-West Europe high-speed rail link

Mr Brinkhorst: Lyon - Ukrainian Border rail link

Mr Balázs: Paris - Bratislava rail link

Ms Peijs: Rhine/Maas – Main - Danube inland waterway axis; Seine - Schelde Canal

Mr Valente de Oliveira: Motorways of the Sea

Mr Telička: 'Rail Baltica'

Mr Vinck: ERTMS