The trans-European transport networks are organic, evolving as the needs of Europe’s citizens and enterprises change. Regular reviews of progress in completing projects already identified, and evaluations of potential changes or additional projects, are essential.

The Commission established, in late 2004, a new high-level group, chaired by former Commission Vice-President Loyola de Palacio, in order to examine the connections between the TEN-T priority axes and neighbouring countries.

Whilst the 10 new Member States which joined on 1 May 2004 are integrated in the TEN-T guidelines, the EU is set to expand further. Bulgaria and Romania are due to join in 2007, Croatia and Turkey are close to beginning membership negotiations, and the other western Balkan States are expected to follow the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia in applying for membership. Moreover, links with the countries around the Mediterranean, with Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, and Moldova and with Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia are being enhanced through the EU’s neighbourhood policy.

These developing relationships need to be underpinned with reliable, efficient transport links, particularly for freight. The de Palacio group is expected to put forward, in autumn 2005, a limited set of major transnational transport axes, as well as to identify the most important projects to connect the EU better with neighbouring countries. The group will also look at measures to increase technical and administrative interoperability, the use of new technologies, and safety and security issues; without effective solutions to the existing problems, bottlenecks at border crossings will remain, even if the infrastructure is upgraded.