1.The purpose of this Decision shall be to establish the guidelines covering the objectives, priorities and broad lines of measures envisaged in the area of the trans-European transport network; these guidelines identify projects of common interest, the implementation of which should contribute to the development of the network throughout the Community.
2.The guidelines referred to in paragraph 1 shall constitute a general reference framework intended to encourage the Member States and, where appropriate, the Community in carrying out projects of common interest, the purpose of which is to ensure the cohesion, interconnection and interoperability of the trans-European transport network, as well as access to that network. These projects shall form a common objective, the implementation of which depends on their degree of maturity and the availability of financial resources, without prejudging the financial commitment of a Member State or the Community. These guidelines are also intended to facilitate the involvement of the private sector.
3.Essential requirements relating to:
the interoperability of the trans-European transport network,
transport telematics and ancillary services,
shall be defined in accordance with the Treaty and separately from this Decision.
1.The trans-European transport network shall be established gradually by [F12020] by integrating land, sea and air transport infrastructure networks throughout the Community in accordance with the outline plans indicated on the maps in Annex I and/or the specifications in Annex II.
2.The network must:
(a)ensure the sustainable mobility of persons and goods within an area without internal frontiers under the best possible social and safety conditions, while helping to achieve the Community's objectives, particularly in regard to the environment and competition, and contribute to strengthening economic and social cohesion;
(b)offer users high-quality infrastructure on acceptable economic terms;
(c)include all modes of transport, taking account of their comparative advantages;
(d)allow the optimal use of existing capacities;
(e)be, insofar as possible, interoperable within modes of transport and encourage intermodality between the different modes of transport;
(f)be, insofar as possible, economically viable;
(g)cover the whole territory of the Member States of the Community so as to facilitate access in general, link island, landlocked and peripheral regions to the central regions and interlink without bottlenecks the major conurbations and regions of the Community;
(h)be capable of being connected to the networks of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) States, the countries of Central and Eastern Europe and the Mediterranean countries, while at the same time promoting interoperability and access to these networks, insofar as this proves to be in the Community's interest.
Textual Amendments
1.The trans-European network shall comprise transport infrastructure, traffic management systems and positioning and navigation systems.
[F12. The transport infrastructure shall comprise road, rail and inland waterway networks, motorways of the sea, seaports and inland waterway ports, airports and other interconnection points between modal networks.]
3.The traffic management systems and the positioning and navigation systems shall include the necessary technical installations and information and telecommunications systems to ensure harmonious operation of the network and efficient traffic management.
Textual Amendments
The broad lines of Community measures shall cover:
the drawing up and revision of the network outline plans;
the identification of projects of common interest;
the adaptation of the existing network;
the promotion of network interoperability;
the optimum combination of modes of transport, inter alia, by creating interconnection centres, which in the case of freight should be located, insofar as possible, away from urban centres, in order to render possible the effective operation of intermodality;
the pursuit of consistency and complementarity of financial aid in line with the rules applicable to each financial instrument;
research and development;
cooperation with third countries concerned by development of the network and the conclusion of suitable agreements with them;
incentives for Member States and international organizations to further the objectives pursued by the Community;
promotion of continuous cooperation between interested parties;
any other measures which prove necessary for the achievement of the objectives referred to in Article 2.
Taking into account the objectives set out in Article 2 and the broad lines of measures set out in Article 4, the priorities shall be:
establishment and development of the key links and interconnections needed to eliminate bottlenecks, fill in missing sections and complete the main routes, especially their cross-border sections, cross natural barriers, and improve interoperability on major routes;
establishment and development of infrastructure which promotes the interconnection of national networks in order to facilitate the linkage of islands, or areas similar to islands, and landlocked, peripheral and outermost regions on the one hand and the central regions of the Community on the other, in particular to reduce the high transport costs of these areas;
the necessary measures for the gradual achievement of an interoperable rail network, including, where feasible, routes adapted for freight transport;
the necessary measures to promote long-distance, short sea and inland shipping;
the necessary measures to integrate rail and air transport, especially through rail access to airports, whenever appropriate, and the infrastructures and installations needed;
optimisation of the capacity and efficiency of existing and new infrastructure, promotion of intermodality and improvement of the safety and reliability of the network by establishing and improving intermodal terminals and their access infrastructure and/or by deploying intelligent systems;
integration of safety and environmental concerns in the design and implementation of the trans-European transport network;
development of sustainable mobility of persons and goods in accordance with the objectives of the European Union on sustainable development.]
Textual Amendments
Promotion by the Community of projects of common interest and network interconnection and interoperability in order to ensure the compatibility of third-country networks with the trans-European transport network shall be determined on a case-by-case basis in accordance with the appropriate procedures in the Treaty.
1.In compliance with the rules of the Treaty, particularly as regards questions of competition, any project shall be considered to be of common interest which:
pursues the objectives set out in Article 2,
concerns the network described in Article 3,
corresponds to one or more of the priorities set out in Article 5, and
is potentially economically viable on the basis of analysis of the socio-economic costs and benefits.
2.Projects shall relate to an element of the network described in Articles 9 to 17 and shall in particular:
relate to the routes identified on the maps in Annex I, and/or
correspond to the specifications or criteria in Annex II.
3.Member States shall take any measures which they consider necessary within the framework of the principles laid down in Article 1 (2).
1. When projects are planned and carried out, environmental protection must be taken into account by the Member States by carrying out, pursuant to Council Directive 85/337/EEC, environmental impact assessments of projects of common interest which are to be implemented and by applying Directives 79/409/EEC of 2 April 1979 on the conservation of wild birds (1) and 92/43/EEC.
As from 21 July 2004 an environmental assessment of the plans and programmes leading to such projects, especially where they concern new routes or other important nodal infrastructure development, shall be carried out by Member States pursuant to Directive 2001/42/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 June 2001 on the assessment of the effects of certain plans and programmes on the environment (2) . Member States shall take the results of this environmental assessment into account in the preparation of the plans and programmes concerned, in accordance with Article 8 of that Directive.
2. By 21 July 2004 , the Commission shall, in agreement with Member States, develop suitable methods for implementing the strategic environmental assessment with the objective of ensuring, inter alia , appropriate coordination, avoiding duplication of effort, and achieving simplification and acceleration of planning processes for cross-border projects and corridors.
The results of this work and of the environmental assessment of the TEN projects carried out by Member States pursuant to Directive 2001/42/EC shall be taken into account, as appropriate, by the Commission in its report on the guidelines and the possible accompanying legislative proposals to revise the guidelines provided for in Article 18(3) of this Decision.]
Textual Amendments
[F1 OJ L 103, 25.4.1979, p. 1 . Directive as last amended by Regulation (EC) No 807/2003 ( OJ L 122, 16.5.2003, p. 36 ).