Brussels, 18/12/2012 (Agence Europe) - Guidelines for the future of the European transport network have been reviewed and corrected by MEPs of the committee on transport and tourism (TRAN). Although they added a series of additional projects to the maps previously tabled for the central and global network, rapporteurs specify nonetheless that this is not a “wish list”. MEPs have ensured that the Commission's methodology must be respected in order to uphold European added value. The TRAN committee adopted its policy guidelines on Tuesday 18 December by 30 votes in favour, 5 against and 5 abstentions.
Right method. MEPs therefore amended the Commission's proposal for the guidelines and maps envisaged for TEN-T over coming decades, that is a central network in 2030 composed of 10 corridors with a view to obtaining a global network in 2050. They support the method developed by the Commission for drawing the maps of the networks and designating what transport sections or intermodal choices should be found there. Co-rapporteur Ismail Ertug (S&D, Germany) explained after the vote that the Commission provided a sound basis and that, on that basis, they looked at what the most important projects of all member states would be and what the European added value would be.
Additional projects. Ertug's colleagues from the TRAN committee had nonetheless submitted a fair number of amendments to seek to integrate projects of national or regional interest. The rapporteurs had to sort out the 300 amendments on maps. On that basis, Ertug said, keeping their method in mind, they had to decide what was justified and what could improve the rest of the network. Nearly 70 projects were therefore adopted in addition to those contained in the Commission's proposals, without doing away with other projects. For example, this included airports in the Canary Islands, road sections in Romania, and ports in Italy as well as inland river connections in Sweden.
A Christmas list? This caused some irritation among the Greens. Michael Cramer (Germany) reacted strongly, saying that “a couple of days before Christmas, the transport committee has adopted a mere wish list and not taken account of the financial constraints we are facing. (…) We know that the projects that were endorsed today will in most cases never be realised, but they will block resources for years”. Co-rapporteur Georgios Koumoutsakos (EPP, Greece) denies this, explaining that, with their vote, MEPs have shown understanding and been flexible in rectifying obvious errors or omissions which had not been done intentionally. Ertug, for his part, also considers that this is not a wish list but “exactly the list that Europe needs”. He concedes that it has been tough going and that not everyone is perhaps fully satisfied but that, from the outset, they have worked transparently.
Coordinator, climate, inland waterways. Furthermore, compared to the Commission's initial ambitions, MEPs have strengthened the role of the ten corridor coordinators so that they supervise all the players together and ensure that objectives are met, Ertug states. Also, MEPs referred to the ambitions of the White Paper on transport relating to intermodality and climate objectives. They also fix a time for meeting at the Commission next year in order to submit best practices when it comes to mediation with the civil society before construction can begin. Finally, MEPs gave pride of place to respect of the environment during the development of new inland navigation routes. (MD/transl.jl)