European Commission
European Commission

 

The document "Consultation on the Future Trans-European Transport Networks" adopted by the Commission on the 4th of May invites stakeholders as well as European institutions and consultative bodies to express their views in a consultation process, which will end on 15 September 2010. The TEN-T days in Zaragoza on 8 and 9 June 2010 were a key event of this consultation. More details on the public consultation.

Based on the Green Paper issued in February 2009 and the subsequent consultation process, the Commission aims to develop a dual layer TEN-T, with a core network of the strategically most important nodes and links overlaying the relatively dense comprehensive network.

Six expert groups have elaborated their recommendations on a strategic network planning methodology including the connections beyond the EU, on supplementary (innovative) infrastructure measures to integrate other EU policy fields into TEN-T planning and on legal and financial aspects.

Within the framework of the "Europe 2020" strategy, internal market, global competitiveness, cohesion and environmental issues, in particular de-carbonisation of transport, are objectives which will require balanced solutions. Maritime transport, ports and their hinterland connections as well as airports will play a key role in supplementing the multimodal land-based networks.

The concrete network planning will have to be based on the methodology at stake and consider the feedback expected from the current public consultation. It will be subject to a Commission proposal for new TEN-T Guidelines, foreseen to be presented in spring/summer 2011.