Activities of Davor ŠKRLEC related to 2015/2347(INI)
Plenary speeches (1)
Improving connection and accessibility of transport infrastructure in Central and Eastern Europe (short presentation) HR
Shadow reports (1)
REPORT on improving the connection and accessibility of the transport infrastructure in Central and Eastern Europe PDF (225 KB) DOC (77 KB)
Shadow opinions (1)
OPINION on improving the connection and accessibility of the transport infrastructure in Central and Eastern Europe
Amendments (27)
Amendment 2 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Considers that the introduction of thematic objectives has had a positive role in encouraging the Member States to focus their investment policies on the development of their transport infrastructure; is of the opinion that the ex- ante conditionality of drafting master plans for transport has helped the Member States in prioritising their transport investments; considers that the responsible services of the Commission should assess and provide for a follow-up of those master plans in order to ensure that those plans also comply with EU objectives and priorities and not only fulfil the ex-ante conditionality;
Amendment 3 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 a (new)
Paragraph 1 a (new)
1a. Is concerned that the master plans transport in some Central and Eastern European Member States lack alignment with the EU's White Paper on transport, in particular contribution to the target set for greenhouse gas emission reduction of 60% by 2050; Urges the Commission when approving, and MS when planning transport infrastructure to fully ensure that induced CO2 emissions are accounted for and put into an overall strategy for sustainable mobility and emission reduction in the transport sector;
Amendment 7 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Urges the Member States in Central and Eastern Europe to ensure coordination and synergy between the European Structural and Investment (ESI) Funds, the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF), Horizon 2020, the European Fund for Strategic Investments (EFSI) and EIB and EBRD resources when implementing projects aimed at improving the connection and accessibility of the transport infrastructure in the region; underlines that the use of all this readily available funding should be given priority, especially in the context of the current absorption rate, over investment participation by third parties in cases where this investment is driven by political considerations rather than business interests; encourages to use the potential of European private investments in the rail sector which could contribute to the increase in absorption rates and improve the quality of the transport services;
Amendment 8 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 a (new)
Paragraph 2 a (new)
2a. Is concerned about the current estimates on Partnership Agreements and Operational Programmes from Central and Eastern European Member States suggesting that 50% of the ESI Funds will be invested in road infrastructure, which does not contribute to reducing GHG emissions;
Amendment 23 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 a (new)
Paragraph 3 a (new)
3a. Underlines the need to reinforce investment in improving the quality of the railways in order to make them more attractive for both passenger and freight transport and increase their utilisation;
Amendment 24 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Notes that Central and Eastern Europe has significant development potential as regards its inland waterways as well as its sea ports; considers that this could be used towards furthering the goal of enhancing multimodal transport in the regionpotential may only be exploited when fully respecting the Union acquis on the protection of the environment, biodiversity and water; Underlines the need of enhancing multimodal transport in the region and recommends giving priority to invest in linking different modes of transport more effectively;
Amendment 29 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Underlines the importance of coordinated project planning by Member States based on national master plans, realistic assessment of transport needs, cost-benefit analysis and stakeholder consultationand public services needs, alignment with the EU White Paper on transport, application of EU environmental legislation and the COP 21 agreement, cost-benefit analysis, minimization of external costs, guarantee of transparency and consultation of stakeholder as well as NGO's;
Amendment 33 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2 a (new)
Paragraph 2 a (new)
2a. Welcomes that the ex-ante conditionality of drafting master plans for transport has helped the Member States in prioritising their transport investments; considers that the responsible services of the Commission must assess and provide for a follow-up of those master plans in order to ensure that these plans also comply with EU objectives and priorities and not only fulfil the ex-ante conditionality;
Amendment 34 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2 b (new)
Paragraph 2 b (new)
2b. Is concerned that the master plans on transport in some Central and Eastern European member States lack alignment with the EU's White paper on transport, in particular contribution to the target set for greenhouse gas emission (GHG) reduction of 60 % by 2015; urges the Commission when approving, and MS when planning transport infrastructure to fully ensure that induced GHG emissions are accounted for and put into an overall transport strategy for sustainable transport and mobility and emissions reduction in this sector;
Amendment 38 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Strongly advises making better use of existing policies and instruments for regional cooperation, such as European Territorial Cooperation (ETC), Interreg and especially European Groupings of Territorial Cooperation (EGTCs), to enhance cross-border transport between regions and remove bottlenecks; urges the Member States to support and not impede such solutions on a local and regional level and to make sure that the use of EU funds complies with the overall objectives, including on improving the railway sector, interconnectivity and interoperability; advocates the use of macro-regional strategies like those for the Alps, the Adriatic and Ionian region, the Danube and the Baltic Sea in order to advance transnational infrastructure projects;
Amendment 49 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 a (new)
Paragraph 5 a (new)
5a. Underlines that the EuroVelo Cycling network and particularly the route no. 13 (Iron Curtain Trail), combined with railway connections, offer interesting potentials for the tourism SMEs in the Eastern and Central European macro-regions and must therefore be promoted;
Amendment 51 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Points out that enhancing the coherence of the economic development of the Member States in the western, central and eastern parts of the EU requires large investments; underlines that the coordination required at European level must take account of the specific challenges in the Member States ands well as the differences in their economies, social security systems and traditionsthe demographic change and emphasizes the potential of green jobs in a better railway sector, in particular if clean technology is applied;
Amendment 51 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 a (new)
Paragraph 7 a (new)
7a. Underlines the potential for green jobs in the railway sector, in particular if clean technology is applied;
Amendment 65 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7 a (new)
Paragraph 7 a (new)
7a. Is concerned about the current estimates on Partnership Agreements and Operational Programmes from Central and Eastern European Member States suggesting that 50 % of the ESI Funds will be invested in road infrastructure, which does not contribute to reducing GHG emissions;
Amendment 68 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7 b (new)
Paragraph 7 b (new)
7b. Calls on the Commission to offer technical assistance and intensive administrative help to national, regional and local administrations in order to achieve better capacity-building as well as more sustainable and higher absorption of the different EU Funds; furthermore asks the Commission, in cooperation with the national, regional and local administrations, to present a regular overall overview of transport projects with corresponding amounts, co-financed through the different EU funds;
Amendment 111 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. Underlines the need to ensure fair road charging systems in the EU, based on the externalization of environmental and social costs; points out that flexibilities should be kept for Member States, owing to their particular characteristics, when establishing such systems; stresses nevertheless that EU co-funding of projects must be linked with the efficient application of interoperable road toll systems;
Amendment 118 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to address the urgent need to enhance the road infrastructure network along the eastern border of the EU, starting in Estonia, passing through Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania and Bulgaria and ending in Greece; considers that such efforts should build on the long-standing planning done already under the Via Carpatia project, while choosing the best option for respecting Natura 2000 and Habitat legislation; believes that the possibility of opening the Rhine-Danube corridor to the north of the EU through the Via Carpatia should be exploitassessed;
Amendment 121 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. Reiterates that a modal shift towards safer modes and the quality of road infrastructure has a direct impact on road safety; is concerned that road fatalities and serious injuries remain relatively high in many central and eastern Member States; underlines that measures to improve road safety should be further promoted at Member State, regional and EU level;
Amendment 127 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
16. Stresses the importancefirst priority of further developing rail transport for coherent, sustainable growth and cohesion in the central and eastern parts of the EU; underlines that railways shall play an important role in reducing the climate impact, air pollution as well as accidents and expects such efforts to have positive impacts on industrial development, freight logistics and, quality of public services and reliable passenger mobility; calls on the Member States to eliminate cross-border and national bottlenecks and to expand operational capacities;
Amendment 132 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 a (new)
Paragraph 16 a (new)
16a. Encourages the Commissions and the Member States to re-establish those missing links (1a) that are identified as regional abandoned or dismantled cross- border rail connections; __________________ 1a also see http://www.rail-missing- links.eu
Amendment 135 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 b (new)
Paragraph 16 b (new)
16b. Underlines the need to reinforce investment in improving the quality of the railways in order to make them more accessible and attractive in both fields of passenger and freight transport and increase their share in the modal split, corresponding to goal no. 3 on modal shift as formulated in the EU White Paper on Transport;
Amendment 138 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17
Paragraph 17
17. Criticises the underinvestment in cross-border railway lines and the low level of passenger rail services in many border areas; calls on the Member States to (re-)establish missing connections, put focus on maintenance of existing infrastructure and take consequent measures on the deployment of ERTMS as well as rail freight noise reduction;
Amendment 166 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20
Paragraph 20
20. Believes that exploiting multimodality in inland waterway ports is crucial for their economic potential; underlines the role of adequate last-mile access and rail connections with interconnecting rail infrastructure at inland waterway terminals as well as transport hubs in port catchment areas for attracting users;
Amendment 168 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21
Paragraph 21
21. Underscores the role of the Danube River as the key transport waterway in the Danube macro-region; invites the riparian states to ensure the continuous navigability of the river and to implement their master plan for fairway rehabilitation and maintenance endorsed in 2014, while taking special care in preserving natural habitats, environment, biodiversity and water and thereby conserving and promoting sustainable agriculture, fishing and tourism SMEs;
Amendment 183 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25
Paragraph 25
25. Considers that maritime ports and airports best serve the economic development of the central and eastern EU if they are hubs in an integrated multimodal transport system, interconnected with performant rail infrastructure;
Amendment 187 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26
Paragraph 26
26. Recognises the diverse roles of accessible regional and local airportsintermodal infrastructure in the development of regions in the central and eastern EU and in facilitating trade, inclusive mobility and tourism accesbarrier-free access for persons with a handicap as well as PRMs; maintains that for any new facilities, traffic demand and potential as well as the impact on the environment must be duly assessed and use of EU funds strictly limited to economically, environmentally and social viable projects;
Amendment 194 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 27
Paragraph 27