Jens Gieseke (EPP, Germany) announced on Thursday 29 October to Parliament’s Transport Committee that he had received over 400 amendments and submitted 43 compromise amendments to his draft own-initiative report on the revision of the guidelines for the trans-European transport network (TEN-T - see EUROPE 12552/3).
Commenting on these amendments, Mr Gieseke addressed in particular the issue of connectivity with Ireland and the United Kingdom. The latter should not “suffer due to Brexit”, he stressed, advocating a continuation of the TEN-T to the United Kingdom, “with or without a deal”, but “on the condition that the British make a financial contribution”.
In addition, the MEP pointed out that many amendments had been submitted to him regarding the scope of the network. Mr Gieseke felt that “radical changes” are out of the question, as the central part of the network should be completed within ten years.
Compromises will also have to be found on, among other things, the role of the TEN-T and the recognition of river traffic - so that, among other things, “better river corridors” can be identified, he noted.
Finally, the rapporteur stressed that the groups “all agreed” to condemn the budget cuts made in the Multiannual Financial Framework currently being negotiated for the 2021-2027 period.
“If we don’t have adequate funding, we will miss the 2030 target and that shouldn’t be the case”, he said. (Original version in French by Agathe Cherki)