Brussels, 25/04/2001 (Agence Europe) - As indicated earlier, the European Commission has adopted a programme worth EUR 3.2 billion for the construction of transport infrastructure in eastern Germany for the next six years. The programme, adopted under Objective 1 of Structural Funds, will be financed up to EUR 1.59 billion by the Community budget, and the rest will be provided by public authorities (1.2 billion) and private investors (0.36 billion).
The four priorities of this programme are: 1) the construction or the extension of rail lines to complete the trans-European networks; 2) the construction of motorways to complete the route traced for trans-European networks and regional routes; 3) the upgrading of inland waterways to link East to West (Mittellandkanal and Elbe-Have-Kanal); and 4) studies and pilot projects in the field of telematics and intermodal transport.
The Commission stresses that this broad programme, the first of its kind in Germany for transport infrastructure, was adopted to reduce the gap between the east and west of Germany, regarding the number and the quality of infrastructures. The programme is the last of nine programmes adopted by the Commission for Objective 1 aid to Germany for the period 2000-2006.