Brussels, 22/09/2005 (Agence Europe) - For the first time ever, 53 countries (the 25 EU Member States, Romania, Bulgaria and 26 neighbouring countries of the Union, are taking part in a comprehensive study on the transport system network, within the framework of a high level group chaired by former European Transport Commissioner Loyola de Palacio (see EUROPE 9031). The EU and its neighbours have already established an energy connection, completed in 2004, but this is the first time that transport is included in the EU Neighbourhood Strategy. During its meeting on 19 and 20 September, in Brussels, the high level group reached an agreement on the main routes that allow traffic flows to be managed, as well as certain horizontal issues concerning road transport, road safety, security and the use of Galileo. Some questions are still outstanding and should be tackled at the next meeting on 25 October, such as rail interoperability, administrative management systems, and the question of financing. This is a complex exercise that some are carrying out for the first time, Ms de Palacio noted. Problems of connection between neighbours have been observed, for example for Tunisia, which carries out less than 5% of its trade with its neighbours but 60% with the EU. It is not just a matter of having the acquis communautaire accepted in neighbouring countries as agreement can already be reached on a number of aspects, in particular operational aspects, which could allow exchanges to be improved and made more fluid, thus saving time (IMO rules, customs procedure, etc.). The high level group will present an intermediary report to Transport Commissioner Jacques Barrot and hopes to finalise its work by the end of the year. On the subject of funding, a distinction must be made between these routes and the priority projects that correspond to the European corridors of the trans-European transport network and which benefit from financing under the TEN-T budget. Community support given to these routes with neighbouring countries will depend on the next financial perspectives, but the high level group is reflecting on how to involve the private sector, subject to the requirement that certain guarantees are given and that a specific framework is defined.