Brussels, 25/06/2012 (Agence Europe) - The Community of European Railways (CER) will be giving its point of view on the EU budget at the very time that the multiannual financial framework is on the table of the General Affairs Council and European Summit. The CER appreciates the approach taken by the Commission to go beyond an exclusively national allocation in this field, in favour of an approach containing added European value. The best examples for rail include the proposal for the Connecting Europe Facility and the budget for transport. Two elements, however, are under threat from certain delegations, according to the CER.
CER Executive Libor Lochman said that at a time that crucial decisions were being made for the post-2013 European transport budget, “Those areas of the budget that generate growth and jobs shall be defended and the European added value must be maximised. The CEF transport budget of €31.7bn, as proposed by the European Commission, should be protected, as transport is the essential basis for the EU internal market and the economy growth”. (MD/trans/fl)