Legislation

|Overview

|TEN-E guidelines in force

|Financing of infrastructure projects

Overview

The guidelines on Trans European Energy Networks specify which projects are eligible for funding. The financial rules specify the financial procedures involved.

A proposal was made on 10 December 2003 to amend the guidelines on the Trans European Energy Networks.

The European Union provides also for other financing instruments for energy insfrastructure projects.

Background

The European Community Guidelines for TEN-Energy were adopted for the first time in the year 1996, comprising the list of projects of common interest. The list of projects has been revised three times, in 1997,  1999 and 2003.

The EC treaties of Rome (1957) and Maastricht (1993) laid the foundation for the creation of the internal market allowing the free movement of people, goods and capital. This includes, in particular, the European internal energy market.

Article 154 (ex Article 129b) in the treaty with regards to Trans-European Networks sets out the objectives of Community action: "Contributing to the establishment and development of Trans-European networks in the areas of transport, telecommunications and energy infrastructures."