The Commission presents a report on the exercise of the power to adopt delegated acts conferred on the Commission pursuant to Regulation (EU) No 1315/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council on Union guidelines for the development of the trans-European transport network and repealing Decision No 661/2010/EU.

Regulation (EU) No 1315/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council on Union guidelines for the development of the trans-European transport network and repealing Decision No 661/2010/EU sets out a long-term strategy for the development of a complete trans-European transport network (TEN-T), consisting of infrastructure for railways, maritime and air transport, roads, inland waterways and rail-road terminals.

Article 49(4) of Regulation - Adaptations of the list and the maps based on statistical data

Annex I to Regulation (EU) No 1315/2013 contains maps of the comprehensive and core networks which define the scope of Regulation (EU) No 1315/2013 and identify projects of common interest.

Annex II to this Regulation establishes the list of nodes of the core and comprehensive network. The Commission is empowered to adopt delegated acts which will adapt the maps and lists annexed to the Regulation as regards the quantitative thresholds which are necessary to be met by sea and inland ports, airports and rail-road terminals to be part of the TEN-T. The Commission adopted on 7 December 2016 the Delegated Regulation (EU) No 2017/849.

The Commission may also adjust the maps for road, railway and inland waterway infrastructure in a strictly limited way so as to reflect progress in completing the network.

Article 49(6) of the Regulation - Adaptations of the indicative maps of the neighbouring countries

Annex III to Regulation (EU) No 1315/2013 contains indicative maps of certain neighbouring countries. The Regulation provides for the possibility to adopt delegated acts to adapt those maps or to include maps of further neighbouring countries, based on high-level agreements on transport infrastructure networks between the Union and the neighbouring countries concerned.

The Commission used this delegation in the following instances:

- the Commission adopted on 17 January 2014, the Delegated Regulation No 473/2014. This regulation concerns the lines of the railway and road network, as well as the ports, airports and rail-road terminals on the comprehensive network in the following third countries: Belarus, Ukraine, Moldova, Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan and Russia;

- the Commission adopted on 4 February 2016, the Delegated Regulation No 2016/758. This regulation concerns the identification of the core network connections on the comprehensive network maps of the railway and road networks, as well as ports and airports in the following third countries: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, the Republic of North Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia;

- the Commission adopted on 9 November 2018, the Delegated Regulation No 2019/254. This regulation concerns the revision of the indicative extension of the comprehensive TEN-T maps, as well as the identification of the core network connections on the comprehensive network maps in the following third countries: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Republic of Moldova and Ukraine.

Prior to the adoption of all the delegated acts referred to above, the Commission consulted experts from the Member States and the representatives of the European Parliament.

Lastly, the Commission invites the European Parliament and the Council to take note of this Report. In the future, the Commission plans to use its delegated powers for the further adaptations of the Annexes I, II and III to Regulation (EU) 1315/2013.

In accordance with Regulation (EU) nº 1315/2013, the Commission presents a progress report on implementation of the TEN-T network in 2014-2015.

The report assesses the state of the technical implementation of the TEN-T, and the financial investments made on the TEN-T. It paints a rather positive picture of the progress already achieved on the TEN-T core and comprehensive network. Indeed, large parts of TEN-T already show a high compliance level with TEN-T Regulation requirements.

Level of compliance of infrastructure: the report notes that the current state of implementation of TEN-T transport infrastructure in terms of compliance with the TEN-T Regulation requirements reaches between 75% and 100% for half of the currently available indicators, whereas for the other half it is still below 75%.

· Rail: the currently available data indicates that the standard track gauge of 1435 mm is present on 77% of the rail core network and 76% of the comprehensive rail network. As for electrification , around 81% of the TEN-T network is compliant with the TEN-T requirement. However, the ERTMS is in operation only on 9.5% of core network corridors sections as of end 2015, suggesting the clear need for more investment. In 2023, the ERTMS European Deployment Plan will be updated again setting out the precise implementation dates for the remaining part of the Corridors between 2024 and 2030.

· Roads: the results show that 74.5% of the core network is currently compliant with the standard, whereas only 58.1% of roads on comprehensive network fulfil the requirement. In the framework of the Alternative Fuels Directive 2014/94/EU, the Commission is currently analysing the national policy frameworks for the market development of alternative fuels and their infrastructure.

· Ports and inland waterways: the core network is already 95% compliant with regard to the CEMT IV requirements for class IV, 79.6% compliant with regard to RIS implementation and 68% in terms of permissible draught of 2.5 m. 100% of the seaports are connected to rail, but the connection of ports to the inland waterways of CEMT class IV is far from being compliant.

· Airports: the connection of airports to rail is still below 75% of compliance. In 2015, 23 core airports out of the 38 core airports (60.5%) that fall under obligation to be connected with the railway and road transport infrastructure of the trans-European transport network by 2050, are already connected to rail.

Financial investments made in the TEN-T: in the course of 2014 and 2015, the total investment made by the EU institutions from their financial sources (i.e. TENT/CEF, ERDF/CF and EIB loans) in TEN-T core and comprehensive network infrastructure amounted to EUR 30.67 billion in all 28 Member States. In addition to this, some EUR 1.1 billion of EU financial assistance was allocated under grant agreements to studies' projects in 2014 and 2015.

With regard to modal shares , the highest investment volume with respect to EU grants altogether is reported for rail which absorbed as much as 51.5% of total EU expenditures in the TEN-T network in 2014 and 2015. The share of road infrastructure investment reached 30.6% of total expenditure, followed by 9.2% for ports and Motorways of the Sea, 5.5% for airports (including SESAR), 2.1% for multimodal infrastructure and 1.1% for inland waterways.

In all, the Commission feels that in most cases significant improvements are still required and significant investment needed to reach the objectives of the TEN-T Regulation, particularly regarding inland waterways. While transport infrastructure needs are estimated at about EUR 1.3 trillion per year at the global level2 and around EUR 130 billion per year at the European level, the average investment levels in the EU are well below EUR 100 billion since the beginning of the crisis.

Conclusion: the report concludes that the first two years of implementing the new policy approach show that a wide range of different instruments have been successfully put in place in order to realise the TEN-T. In future reports, the level of investment at Member States' level needs to be analysed in detail as to complete the above picture in terms of investment priorities and financial needs in relation to the technical compliance of the network.

The progress made in implementing projects for that purpose now needs to be carefully and continuously monitored so as to ensure that the core network, including its core network corridors, will be completed by 2030 and the comprehensive network by 2050.

PURPOSE: to define a long-term strategy for the creation and development of a trans-European transport network (TEN-T).

LEGISLATIVE ACT: Regulation (EU) n° 1315/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council on Union guidelines for the development of the trans-European transport network and repealing Decision No 661/2010/EU

CONTENT: the Regulation establishes new guidelines defining a long-term strategy for the development of a complete trans-European transport network (TEN-T) which is designed to cover all Member States and regions as well as all transport modes (railways, maritime and air transport, roads and inland waterways). The new Regulation, replaces the current guidelines adopted in 1996, amended in 2004 and updated in 2010 (Decision No 661/2010/EU).

Purpose: the trans-European transport network shall strengthen:

· the social, economic and territorial cohesion of the Union , through accessibility and connectivity of all regions of the Union including remote, regions, as well as through reduction of infrastructure quality gaps between Member States;

· efficiency through the removal of bottlenecks and the bridging of missing links, the interconnection and interoperability of national transport networks, optimal integration and interconnection of all transport modes, and the promotion of economically efficient, high-quality transport;

· sustainability through promotion of low-carbon transport with the aim of achieving by 2050 a significant reduction in CO2 emissions.

Double-layer structure : the trans-European transport network is best be developed through a dual-layer structure consisting of: (1) a comprehensive network and (2) a core network, the latter being within the framework of the comprehensive network.

· The comprehensive network shall consist of all existing and planned transport infrastructures of the trans-European transport network as well as measures promoting the efficient and socially and environmentally sustainable use of such infrastructure. The guidelines laid down by the Regulation set the requirements for the infrastructure of the comprehensive network, in order to promote the development of a high-quality network throughout the Union by 2050.

· The core network , described in Annex I, will consist of those parts of the comprehensive network which are of the highest strategic importance for achieving the objectives for the development of the trans-European transport network, reflecting evolving traffic demand and the need for multimodal transport. It will stimulate the development of the entire comprehensive network and must be established by 31 December 2030.

Core network corridors : these are an instrument to facilitate the coordinated implementation of the core network and are focused on: (a) modal integration, (b) interoperability, (c) a coordinated development of infrastructure, in particular in cross-border sections and bottlenecks. They will enable Member States to achieve a coordinated and synchronised approach with regard to investment in infrastructure.

In order to facilitate the coordinated implementation of core network corridors, ERTMS and motorways of the sea, the Commission will, in agreement with the Member States concerned, and after consulting the European Parliament and the Council, designate one or more European Coordinators .

The Regulation sets out the role of the European Coordinators, which is of major importance for the development of, and cooperation along, the corridors. Each European Coordinator shall, by 22 December 2014 , submit to the Member States concerned a work plan analysing the development of the corridor. After it has been approved by the Member States concerned, the work plan shall be submitted for information to the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission.

Projects of common interest : the Regulation set out the framework for identifying projects of common interest and specifies the requirements to be complied with for the management of the infrastructure of the trans-European transport network.

Projects of common interest shall:

· contribute to the development of the trans-European transport network through the creation of new transport infrastructure , through the rehabilitation and upgrading of the existing transport infrastructure and through measures promoting the resource-efficient use of the network;

· demonstrate European added value and be economically viable taking into account the relevant social, economic, climate-related and environmental benefits and costs.

The implementation of projects of common interest depends on their degree of maturity, the compliance with Union and national legal procedures, and the availability of financial resources.

Updating and reporting : Member States shall inform the Commission on a regular, comprehensive and transparent basis about the progress made in implementing projects and the investments made for that purpose. This shall include the transmission of annual data as far as possible through the interactive geographical and technical information system for the trans-European transport network (TENtec).

Engagement with public and private stakeholders : projects of common interest relate to all directly concerned stakeholders. Accordingly, the Regulation provides that national procedures regarding regional and local authorities as well as civil society affected by a project of common interest shall be complied with, where appropriate, in the planning and construction phase of a project.

Review : by 31 December 2023 , the Commission shall carry out a review of the implementation of the core network. In addition to carrying out that review, the Commission, in cooperation with the Member States, shall assess whether new sections, such as certain former cross-border priority projects listed in Decision No 661/2010/EU, are to be included in the core network.

ENTRY INTO FORCE: 21.12.2013.

DELEGATED ACTS: the Commission may adopt delegated acts in order to update the maps included in Annex I. The power to adopt such acts is conferred on the Commission for a period of five years from 21 December 2013. The European Parliament or the Council may raise objections with regard to a delegated act within two months of the date of notification (which may be extended by two months). If Parliament or Council raise objections, the delegated act will not enter into force.

The European Parliament adopted by 546 votes to 104 with 41 abstentions, a legislative resolution on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on Union guidelines for the development of the trans-European transport network.

Parliament adopted its position in first reading following the ordinary legislative procedure. The amendments adopted in plenary were the result of a compromise negotiated between Parliament and council. They amended the proposal as follows :

Scope : the amended text states that the trans-European transport network comprises transport infrastructure and telematic applications as well as measures promoting the efficient management and use of such infrastructure and permitting the establishment and operation of sustainable and efficient transport services.

Inland waterway transport will be covered by the regulation.

Objectives and priorities : the trans-European transport network shall demonstrate European added value by contributing to the objectives laid down in the following four categories:

(a) cohesion through: (i) accessibility and connectivity of all regions of the Union, including remote, outermost, insular, peripheral and mountainous regions, as well as sparsely populated areas; (ii) reduction of infrastructure quality gaps between Member States; (iii) a transport infrastructure that provides for a balanced coverage of all European regions;

(b) efficiency through: (i) the removal of bottlenecks and the bridging of missing links; (ii) the interconnection and interoperability of national transport networks; (iii) optimal integration and interconnection of all transport modes; (iii) cost-efficient application of innovative technological and operational concepts;

(c) sustainability through the promotion of low-carbon transport with the aim of achieving by 2050 a significant reduction in CO2 emissions, in line with the relevant Union CO2 reduction targets;

(d) increasing the benefits for its users through: (i) meeting the mobility and transport needs of its users within the Union and in relations with third countries;(ii) ensuring safe, secure and high-quality standards, for both passenger and freight transport; (iii) supporting mobility even in the event of natural or man-made disasters, and ensuring accessibility to emergency and rescue services; (iv) accessibility for elderly people, persons of reduced mobility and disabled passengers.

Planning the trans-European transport network : in planning and developing the trans-European transport network, Member States shall take account of the particular circumstances in the various parts of the Union , such as, in particular, tourism aspects and topographical features of the regions concerned. Furthermore, the interests of regional and local authorities and representatives of civil society must be taken into account in relation to the planning and design of projects.

Eligibility criteria for projects of common interest : projects of common interest should be economically viable on the basis of a socio-economic cost-benefit analysis and environmentally sustainable and feasible. Member States should carry out ex-ante assessments of the accessibility of infrastructure and of the services connected to it.

Regarding cooperation with third countries, projects must: (i) connect the core network at border crossing points and concern infrastructure necessary to ensure seamless traffic flow, border checks, border surveillance and other border control procedures; (ii) promote maritime transport and motorways of the sea, excluding financial support to third-country ports;(iii) facilitate inland waterway transport with third countries.

Motorways of the sea : the amended text states that motorways of the sea, representing as they do the maritime dimension of the trans-European transport network, shall contribute towards the achievement of a European maritime transport space without barriers .

Within two years after being designated, the European Coordinator for motorways of the sea shall present a detailed implementation plan for the motorways of the sea based on experiences and developments relating to Union maritime transport as well as the forecast traffic on the motorways of the sea.

Telematic applications: telematic applications - for railways : ERTMS; for inland waterways: RIS; for road transport: ITS; shall be subject to simplified administrative procedures and shall be deployed where feasible across the Union, in order to enable a set of interoperable basic capabilities to exist in all Member States.

Core network : the core network, as shown on the maps contained in Annex I, shall reflect evolving traffic demand and the need for multimodal transport. It shall, in particular, contribute to coping with increasing mobility and ensuring a high safety standard as well as contributing to the development of a low-carbon transport system.

The nodes of the core network include : inland waterways ports; railroad terminals; and passenger and freight airports.

In order to establish the core network in a coordinated and timely manner, Member States concerned should ensure that appropriate measures are taken to finalise the projects of common interest by 2030 . By 31 December 2023, the Commission shall carry out a review of the implementation of the core network.

Infrastructure and railway transport: railway transport infrastructure of the core network shall meet the following requirements: (i) full electrification of the line tracks; (ii) freight lines with the possibility of running trains with a length of 740 m; (iii) full deployment of ERTMS; (iv) nominal track gauge for new railway lines of 1435 mm.

The particular situation of isolated rail networks should be recognised by way of exemptions from certain infrastructure requirements.

Core network corridors : these will be focused on infrastructure development of the core network so as to eliminate bottlenecks, improve cross-border connections and improve efficiency and sustainability. They should contribute to cohesion through improved territorial cooperation. The corridor approach should be transparent and clear and the management of such corridors should not create additional administrative burdens or costs.

The amended text stressed the role of the European Coordinators, which was of major importance for the development of, and cooperation along, the corridors.

One year after the entry into force of this Regulation each European Coordinator shall submit to the Member States concerned a work plan analysing the development of the corridor. After it has been approved by the Member States concerned, the work plan shall be submitted for information to the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission.

Updating and reporting : Member States shall inform the Commission on a regular, comprehensive and transparent basis about the progress made in implementing projects and the investments made for that purpose. This shall include the transmission of annual data as far as possible through the interactive geographical and technical information system for the trans-European transport network (TENtec). It shall include all relevant data concerning projects of common interest in receipt of Union funding.

The Council agreed on a partial general approach on a draft regulation establishing the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF), the future funding instrument for the trans-European networks (TEN) in the fields of transport, energy and telecommunications.

The draft regulation determines the conditions, methods and procedures for the Union's financial contribution to TEN projects, while the development strategies, priorities and implementation measures for each of the sectors are defined in sector-specific policy guidelines which will be adopted separately. The Council has already agreed on a general approach on guidelines for the transport sector (TEN-T guidelines : 8047/12 ).

The overall objective of the CEF is to help create high-performing and environmentally-sustainable interconnected networks across Europe, thereby contributing to economic growth and social and territorial cohesion within the Union. In the field of transport, the CEF will support projects that pursue the following sector-specific objectives: (i) removing bottlenecks and bridging missing links; (ii) ensuring sustainable and efficient transport systems in the long term; (iii) improving the integration and interconnection of different transport modes and enhancing interoperability.

The main outstanding issue concerns requests by several delegations to extend the possibilities of financing road projects by means of grants .

While the transport part of the CEF regulation strongly focuses on the funding of railways and inland waterways, it also, under certain conditions, allows the financing of road projects through grants.

As a result of its discussions, the Council agreed to add member states with an isolated rail network without long-distance rail freight transport to the cases where grants can be given to road projects.

In addition, it was decided to provide for co-financing of road works at cross-border sections in all member states at a rate of up to 10 %. All those funding possibilities, however, are subject to the general conditions for grants for TEN-T projects.

Apart from road financing, in order to reach broad agreement on a final compromise, the Council increased the co-financing rate for the development of the Motorways of the Seas from 20 % to 30 % and added the interconnection of maritime ports to the indicators for achieving the objective of enhanced interconnection and interoperability.

In addition, to accommodate requests from delegations, some modifications concerning rail or road sections or ports have been introduced into the list of core network corridors set out in the annex to the regulation. Moreover, it will be clarified in a recital that the completion of the core transport network includes not only the creation of new infrastructure, but also the rehabilitation and upgrading of existing infrastructure.

The budget to be made available for the trans-European networks under the CEF will depend on the results of the negotiations on the next multiannual framework and is therefore not yet included in this partial general approach. The Commission has proposed EUR 50 billion for the years 2014 to 2020, with EUR 31.7 billion (including EUR 10 billion earmarked in the Cohesion Fund) allocated to the transport sector.

The Council took note of a report presented by the presidency on the state of play on new guidelines for the development of the trans-European transport network (TEN-T). The Council's preparatory bodies have only recently started to discuss the guidelines proposed by the Commission. While Member States generally support the proposal to introduce a double-layer structure distinguishing between a core network to be put into place as a priority and a comprehensive network, other aspects of the proposed guidelines will need further discussion.

Member States' main concerns are as follows:

· the budgetary consequences are considered problematic by several Member States, especially as regards the costs for meeting the requirements set out in the guidelines for the different modes of transport, in particular rail transport;

· several delegations underscored the need to ensure Member States' right to decide on projects to be carried out on their territory;

· while the core network corridor concept set out in the proposal was supported by several Member States, several other delegations were critical or pointed to the need for clarification;

· the governance of the corridors was mentioned as an important issue for further discussion, and the need to avoid an increase in the administrative burden was underlined.

Other issues raised include the binding deadlines proposed by the Commission for setting up the core and the comprehensive networks, and the Commission's decision to give the guidelines the legal form of a regulation, which is directly addressed to all potential stakeholders, including regional and local authorities and private bodies, rather than a decision addressed only to the Member States, as is the case for the guidelines currently in force.

While the core network corridor concept set out in the proposal was supported by several Member States, several other delegations were critical or pointed to the need for clarification.

Several Member States have criticized the Commission’s corridor approach because this issue is also covered by the proposal on the Connecting Europe Facility Regulation, which would create legal uncertainty, and because this approach does not respect the principle of subsidiarity.

Several Member States have expressed their reservations regarding the Commission’s proposal to strengthen the role of the European Coordinators with respect to the implementation of the core network through core network corridors and the introduction of the concept of corridor platforms. Several Member States have also indicated the need to avoid the unnecessary increase of administrative structures and related costs.

Several Member States also stressed the importance of transport connections with neighbouring non-EU countries .

Lastly, as regards the delegated acts , a large majority of Member States have indicated that they favour a cautious approach. They consider that the power to adopt delegated acts should be conferred to the Commission just for a limited period, such as five years, from the date of entry into force of the Regulation.

PURPOSE: the coordinated creation and development of a trans-European transport network.

PROPOSED ACT: Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council.

BACKGROUND: the planning, development and operation of trans-European transport networks contribute to the attainment of major Union objectives, such as the smooth functioning of the internal market and the strengthening of economic and social cohesion and also have the specific objectives of allowing the seamless and sustainable mobility of persons and goods and ensuring accessibility for all regions of the Union. These specific objectives should be achieved by establishing interconnections and interoperability between national transport networks in a resource-efficient way.

Growth in traffic has resulted in increased congestion on international transport corridors. In order to ensure the international mobility of goods and passengers, the capacity of the trans-European transport network and the use of this capacity should be optimised and, if necessary, expanded by removing infrastructure bottlenecks and bridging missing infrastructure links within and between Member States.

Five main problems need to be tackled at EU level:

(1) missing links, in particular at cross-border sections, are a major obstacle to the free movement of goods and passengers within and between the Member States and with its neighbours;

(2) a considerable and enduring disparity in quality and availability of infrastructure between and within the Member States (bottlenecks);

(3) transport infrastructure between the transport modes is fragmented ;

(4) investments in transport infrastructures should contribute to achieve the goals of reduction of greenhouse gas emissions in transport by 60% by 2050;

(5) Member States still maintain different operational rules and requirements , in particular in the field of interoperability, which add to the transport infrastructure barriers and bottlenecks.

These new guidelines, which will replace Decision 661/2010/EU, seek to establish a complete and integrated trans-European transport network , covering all Member States and regions and providing the basis for the balanced development of all transport modes in order to facilitate their respective advantages, thereby maximising the value added for Europe of the network.

In the light of the challenges for the TEN-T policy, also identified by the White Paper “Roadmap to a Single European Transport Area – Towards a competitive and resource efficient transport system” , these Guidelines will define a long-term strategy for the TEN-T policy up to 2030/2050.

IMPACT ASSESSMENT: t he Impact Assessment identifies four specific objectives for addressing the problem of a fragmented network. This involves, on the one hand, enhanced coordination in EU planning and the designing of a sound governance structure to secure implementation of an optimal network configuration.

Two policy options were the result:

option 1 , combining a planning approach largely based on the current policy, though with certain amendments in the light of the experience gained, with a reinforced coordination approach to implementation; option 2 , combining a stronger approach to planning coordination, through identification of an optimised configuration for the strategic "core" of the TEN-T, with the same reinforced coordination approach to implementation. The Commission considers that this second option, because of the stronger coordination at both planning and implementation levels, would have an overall higher impact.

LEGAL BASIS: Article 172 of the TFEU.

CONTENT: the proposed Regulation will repeal and replace Decision 661/2010/EU on Union guidelines for the development of the trans-European transport network. This proposal aims to establish and develop a complete TEN-T, consisting of infrastructure for railways, inland waterways, roads, maritime and air transport, thereby ensuring the smooth functioning of the internal market and strengthening economic and social cohesion.

To achieve these objectives, two fields of action are envisaged:

- the first field of action is " conceptual planning ": the gradual implementation of the TEN-T network by means of a dual-layer approach , consisting of a comprehensive network and a core network. The comprehensive network constitutes the basic layer of the TEN-T. It consists of all existing and planned infrastructure meeting the requirements of the Guidelines. The comprehensive network is to be in place by 31 December 2050 at the latest.

The core network overlays the comprehensive network and consists of its strategically most important parts. It constitutes the backbone of the multi-modal mobility network. It concentrates on those components of TEN-T with the highest European added value: cross border missing links, key bottlenecks and multi-modal nodes. The core network is to be in place by 31 December 2030 at the latest.

- the second field of action concerns the implementation instruments . The Commission has developed the concept of core network corridors , taking due account of the rail freight corridors. These corridors will provide the framework instrument for the coordinated implementation of the core network. In terms of scope, the core network corridors will in principle cover three transport modes and cross at least three Member States. If possible, they should establish a connection with a maritime port.

In terms of activities, the core network corridors will provide a platform for capacity management, investments, building and coordinating multi-modal transhipment facilities, and deploying interoperable traffic management systems.

The proposal includes the following key aspects:

Guidelines : the Guidelines set the framework for identifying projects of common interest. These projects contribute to the development and establishment of TEN-T through the creation, maintenance, rehabilitation and upgrading of infrastructure, through measures to promote the resource-efficient use of infrastructure and by enabling sustainable and efficient freight transport services. With a view to cooperation with third and neighbouring countries , the European Union may promote projects of mutual interest.

The comprehensive network is specified by:

maps; infrastructure components; infrastructure requirements; priorities for promoting projects of common interest. freight terminals, passenger stations, inland ports, maritime ports and airports will connect transport modes in order to allow multi-modal transport; urban nodes form key elements in the comprehensive network as connecting points between the different transport infrastructures.

Core network :

the guidelines lay down specific requirements for the core network, in addition to the requirements for the comprehensive network, for example availability of alternative fuels. The Commission will monitor and evaluate the progress made in implementing the core network; core network corridors are an instrument for implementing the core network. They are to be based on modal integration and interoperability and lead to coordinated development and management; European Coordinators will facilitate the coordinated implementation of the corridors, in cooperation with corridor platforms to be established by Member States concerned; ach corridor platform will establish a multi-annual development plan, including investment and implementation plans, as a management structure. Based on this information the Commission will adopt implementing acts (decisions) for each corridor.

Lastly, the proposal calls for regular revision of the annexes by means of delegated acts in order to update the maps of the comprehensive network. It also envisages a review of the core network by 2023.

BUDGETARY IMPACT: the proposal will not entail any additional cost for the EU budget.

It should be noted that in the context of the Communication on the Multi-annual Financial Framework 2014-2020 , the Commission has announced the creation of a new instrument at EU level, the '' Connecting Europe Facility " , which will finance EU priority infrastructure in transport, energy and digital broadband. The facility will have a single fund of EUR 50 billion for the period 2014-2020, of which EUR 31.7 billion will be allocated to transport, out of which €10 billion will be ring fenced for related transport infrastructures investments inside the Member States eligible under the Cohesion Fund.

DELEGATED ACTS: the proposal contains provisions enabling the Commission to adopt delegated acts in accordance with Article 290 of the TFEU.

PURPOSE: the coordinated creation and development of a trans-European transport network.

PROPOSED ACT: Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council.

BACKGROUND: the planning, development and operation of trans-European transport networks contribute to the attainment of major Union objectives, such as the smooth functioning of the internal market and the strengthening of economic and social cohesion and also have the specific objectives of allowing the seamless and sustainable mobility of persons and goods and ensuring accessibility for all regions of the Union. These specific objectives should be achieved by establishing interconnections and interoperability between national transport networks in a resource-efficient way.

Growth in traffic has resulted in increased congestion on international transport corridors. In order to ensure the international mobility of goods and passengers, the capacity of the trans-European transport network and the use of this capacity should be optimised and, if necessary, expanded by removing infrastructure bottlenecks and bridging missing infrastructure links within and between Member States.

Five main problems need to be tackled at EU level:

(1) missing links, in particular at cross-border sections, are a major obstacle to the free movement of goods and passengers within and between the Member States and with its neighbours;

(2) a considerable and enduring disparity in quality and availability of infrastructure between and within the Member States (bottlenecks);

(3) transport infrastructure between the transport modes is fragmented ;

(4) investments in transport infrastructures should contribute to achieve the goals of reduction of greenhouse gas emissions in transport by 60% by 2050;

(5) Member States still maintain different operational rules and requirements , in particular in the field of interoperability, which add to the transport infrastructure barriers and bottlenecks.

These new guidelines, which will replace Decision 661/2010/EU, seek to establish a complete and integrated trans-European transport network , covering all Member States and regions and providing the basis for the balanced development of all transport modes in order to facilitate their respective advantages, thereby maximising the value added for Europe of the network.

In the light of the challenges for the TEN-T policy, also identified by the White Paper “Roadmap to a Single European Transport Area – Towards a competitive and resource efficient transport system” , these Guidelines will define a long-term strategy for the TEN-T policy up to 2030/2050.

IMPACT ASSESSMENT: t he Impact Assessment identifies four specific objectives for addressing the problem of a fragmented network. This involves, on the one hand, enhanced coordination in EU planning and the designing of a sound governance structure to secure implementation of an optimal network configuration.

Two policy options were the result:

option 1 , combining a planning approach largely based on the current policy, though with certain amendments in the light of the experience gained, with a reinforced coordination approach to implementation; option 2 , combining a stronger approach to planning coordination, through identification of an optimised configuration for the strategic "core" of the TEN-T, with the same reinforced coordination approach to implementation. The Commission considers that this second option, because of the stronger coordination at both planning and implementation levels, would have an overall higher impact.

LEGAL BASIS: Article 172 of the TFEU.

CONTENT: the proposed Regulation will repeal and replace Decision 661/2010/EU on Union guidelines for the development of the trans-European transport network. This proposal aims to establish and develop a complete TEN-T, consisting of infrastructure for railways, inland waterways, roads, maritime and air transport, thereby ensuring the smooth functioning of the internal market and strengthening economic and social cohesion.

To achieve these objectives, two fields of action are envisaged:

- the first field of action is " conceptual planning ": the gradual implementation of the TEN-T network by means of a dual-layer approach , consisting of a comprehensive network and a core network. The comprehensive network constitutes the basic layer of the TEN-T. It consists of all existing and planned infrastructure meeting the requirements of the Guidelines. The comprehensive network is to be in place by 31 December 2050 at the latest.

The core network overlays the comprehensive network and consists of its strategically most important parts. It constitutes the backbone of the multi-modal mobility network. It concentrates on those components of TEN-T with the highest European added value: cross border missing links, key bottlenecks and multi-modal nodes. The core network is to be in place by 31 December 2030 at the latest.

- the second field of action concerns the implementation instruments . The Commission has developed the concept of core network corridors , taking due account of the rail freight corridors. These corridors will provide the framework instrument for the coordinated implementation of the core network. In terms of scope, the core network corridors will in principle cover three transport modes and cross at least three Member States. If possible, they should establish a connection with a maritime port.

In terms of activities, the core network corridors will provide a platform for capacity management, investments, building and coordinating multi-modal transhipment facilities, and deploying interoperable traffic management systems.

The proposal includes the following key aspects:

Guidelines : the Guidelines set the framework for identifying projects of common interest. These projects contribute to the development and establishment of TEN-T through the creation, maintenance, rehabilitation and upgrading of infrastructure, through measures to promote the resource-efficient use of infrastructure and by enabling sustainable and efficient freight transport services. With a view to cooperation with third and neighbouring countries , the European Union may promote projects of mutual interest.

The comprehensive network is specified by:

maps; infrastructure components; infrastructure requirements; priorities for promoting projects of common interest. freight terminals, passenger stations, inland ports, maritime ports and airports will connect transport modes in order to allow multi-modal transport; urban nodes form key elements in the comprehensive network as connecting points between the different transport infrastructures.

Core network :

the guidelines lay down specific requirements for the core network, in addition to the requirements for the comprehensive network, for example availability of alternative fuels. The Commission will monitor and evaluate the progress made in implementing the core network; core network corridors are an instrument for implementing the core network. They are to be based on modal integration and interoperability and lead to coordinated development and management; European Coordinators will facilitate the coordinated implementation of the corridors, in cooperation with corridor platforms to be established by Member States concerned; ach corridor platform will establish a multi-annual development plan, including investment and implementation plans, as a management structure. Based on this information the Commission will adopt implementing acts (decisions) for each corridor.

Lastly, the proposal calls for regular revision of the annexes by means of delegated acts in order to update the maps of the comprehensive network. It also envisages a review of the core network by 2023.

BUDGETARY IMPACT: the proposal will not entail any additional cost for the EU budget.

It should be noted that in the context of the Communication on the Multi-annual Financial Framework 2014-2020 , the Commission has announced the creation of a new instrument at EU level, the '' Connecting Europe Facility " , which will finance EU priority infrastructure in transport, energy and digital broadband. The facility will have a single fund of EUR 50 billion for the period 2014-2020, of which EUR 31.7 billion will be allocated to transport, out of which €10 billion will be ring fenced for related transport infrastructures investments inside the Member States eligible under the Cohesion Fund.

DELEGATED ACTS: the proposal contains provisions enabling the Commission to adopt delegated acts in accordance with Article 290 of the TFEU.