Competences of the Agency as defined in Commission Decision 2007/60/EC of 26 October 2006

The Community shall contribute to the establishment and development of trans-European networks in the area of transport. Community action shall aim at promoting the interconnection and interoperability of national networks as well as access to such networks. The Community shall establish a series of guidelines covering the objectives, priorities and broad lines of measures envisaged in the sphere of trans-European networks; these guidelines shall identify projects of common interest. The Community shall implement any measures that may prove necessary to ensure the interoperability of the networks. Community action may support projects of common interest supported by Member States, particularly through feasibility studies, loan guarantees or interest-rate subsidies; the Community may also contribute, through the Cohesion Fund, to the financing of specific projects in Member States in the area of transport infrastructure. The Community’s activities shall take into account the potential economic viability of the projects. The Community may decide to cooperate with third countries to promote projects of mutual interest and to ensure the interoperability of networks. (Articles 154 and 155 of the Treaty)

Objectives TEN-TEA is responsible for managing the technical and financial implementation of the Commission’s TEN-T Programme. Its role is to improve the effectiveness of TEN-T implementation at a lower cost; to strengthen the links between the TEN-T and communities of experts; to mobilise a high level of expertise and make the recruitment of specialised staff easier; to ensure a better coordination of funds with other Community instruments; to enable the simplification and flexibility of TEN-T implementation; to raise the profile of Community action in the field of TEN-T; and in general to add value to the management of the TEN-T Programme.

Tasks (a) ensure the technical and financial management of projects and events which are co-financed under the TEN-T budget; (b) collect, analyse and transmit to the Commission all information required for the implementation and programming of the TEN-T; (c) provide technical support to project promoters and the financial institution responsible for managing the loan guarantee instrument for the TEN-T projects; (d) provide any technical and administrative support requested by the Commission. Its parent, DG TREN, continues to address all policymaking and institutional tasks related to the TEN-T.

1 — Steering Committee The Agency’s activities are supervised by a Steering Committee which is currently composed of five members and one observer. The members of the Steering Committee are appointed for two years. The Steering Committee meets in principle four times a year. Certain measures or decisions need its approval before they can be implemented. This applies for example to the administrative budget, the establishment plan, the Work Programme, the Annual Activity Report, the provisional accounts of all revenue and expenditure, the external evaluation report and the adoption of several special rules and measures etc. On a number of other actions, the committee is kept informed. In exceptional and urgent cases, decisions are taken through a written procedure. 2 — Director Appointed by the European Commission for five years. 3 — External audit Court of Auditors. 4 — Discharge Authority Parliament acting on recommendation by the Council.

Budget A. 8,0 billion euro (100 % general budget of the European Union) for the TEN-T budget linked to the 2007–2013 Financial Perspective. 780,0 million euro in outstanding commitments linked to the 2000–2006 Financial Perspective. The Agency implements the operating budget under the responsibility of the Commission. B. 5,2 million euro (100 % Community subsidy) for the administrative budget for which the Agency is autonomous. Staff at 31 December 2008 TA posts: 32 posts listed in the establishment plan of which 23 (72 %) occupied. Contract staff: 67 posts planned of which 44 (66 %) were occupied. Total staff: 99 (67 occupied) Responsible for: (a) Operational tasks: 61 (44 occupied); (b) Administrative tasks: 38 (23 occupied).