1.6 billion euros will be granted to TEN-T project
The European Commission has announced that 1.6 billion Euros of EU co-funding will be granted to trans-Euroepan transport network (TEN-T) projects.
In total, 172 projects were selected by the Commission and funding will be made available for 83 projects from the 2012 Annual programme call (247.20 million) and for 89 projects from the 2012 Multi-annual programme call (1.348 billion).
Commission Vice-President Siim Kallas, responsible for transport, noted: “Trans-European networks in transport are some of the best examples of the value the EU can bring to its Member States. A well-functioning network is essential to the smooth operation of the single market and will boost competitiveness. These projects will also assist Europe in moving to a more sustainable future and allow the same market access to all our regions.
The European Sea Ports Organisation (ESPO) has welcomed the imminent adoption of the new TEN-T policy. The new European transport infrastructure framework is fully recognising the importance of ports as crucial nodes of the network. It can further optimise the links between sea ports and their hinterland through the multimodal corridor approach.
ESPO has highlighted that roads should not be completely neglected since improving road access to ports is an important element in enhancing maritime transport and hence multimodality in some areas.
In addition, for European ports, Motorways of the Sea (MoS) is a crucial aspect of TEN-T. MoS can strengthen the link between the comprehensive ports of the network and the core ports and multimodal corridors.
It is important to define more precisely how this concept will be applied in the context of the new TEN-T policy. This could and should be done in close cooperation with the ports and their experts, who deal on a daily basis with short sea shipping.
