The Commission has published a progress report on the work done to implement the trans-European transport network (TEN-T). It concludes that significant progress was made during 2016 and 2017 (the reporting period), both with regard to technical compliance and financial investments.
The TEN-T network must comply with a series of EU requirements, for example on railway electrification. For most requirements, compliance is estimated at 81-100%. This achievement can be directly linked to the huge investment in the TEN-T network: more than €91 billion in the course of 2016 and 2017. The highest share of this investment (€80 billion), including EU co-funding, has been invested in the core network, with most going to TEN-T railways (including ERTMS), where funds are helping to close compliance gaps.
The report shows the major challenges of the TEN-T infrastructure network can only be met with a sound mix of funding and financial instruments. The years 2016 and 2017 were successful in that regard, with TEN-T having received increased funding from the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF), as well as benefiting from other EU means. The report also highlights the role of European TEN-T Coordinators in ensuring a sound, mature and visible project pipeline of more than 2 500 projects today.
Further progress is expected as the TEN-T deadlines of 2030 (core network) and 2050 (comprehensive network) approach and the maturity of the project pipeline increases. The European Coordinators will soon publish updated work plans for the core network corridors, indicating the challenges and steps for the development of the core network corridors by 2030.
The results of the progress report will feed into the ongoing review the TEN-T Regulation. A possible proposal for a revision would follow by 2021.
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Source: European Commission
