ARCHIVES HISTORIQUES 
DE LA COMMISSION 
 
 
 
COLLECTION RELIEE DES 
DOCUMENTS "COM" 
 
 
 
 
COM (84) 253 
 
 
 
Vol. 1984/0 120 
  
 
Disclaimer  
Conformém ent au règlement (CEE, Euratom) n° 354/83 du Conseil du 1er février 1983 
concernant l'ouverture au public des archives historiques de la Communauté économique 
européenne et de la Communauté européenne de l'énergie atomique (JO L 43 du 15.2.1983, 
p. 1), tel que modifié par le règlement (CE, Euratom) n° 1700/2003 du 22 septembre 2003 
(JO L 243 du 27.9.2003, p. 1), ce dossier est ouvert au public. Le cas échéant, les documents 
classifiés présents dans ce dossier ont été déclassifiés conformément à l'article 5 dudit 
règlem ent. 
In accordance with Council Regulation (EEC, Euratom) No 354/83 of 1 February 1983 
concerning the openi ng to the public of the historical archives of the European Econom ic 
Community and the European Atomic Energy Communit y (OJ L 43, 15.2.1983, p. 1), as 
amended by Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 1700/2003 of 22 September 2003 (OJ L 243, 
27.9.2003, p. 1), this f ile is open to the public. Where necessary, classified documents in this 
file have been declassified in conformity with Article 5 of the aforementioned regulation.  
In Übereinstimmung mit der Verordnung (EWG, Euratom) Nr. 354/83 des Rates vom  1. 
Februar 198 3 über die Freigabe der historischen Archive der Europäischen  
Wirtschaftsgemeinschaft und der Europäischen Atomgem einschaft (ABI. L 43 vom  15.2.1983,  
S. 1), geändert durch die Verordnung (EG, Euratom) Nr. 1700/2003 vom 22. Septem ber 2003  
(ABI. L 243 vom 27 .9.2003, S. 1), ist diese Datei der Öffentlichkeit zugänglich. Soweit  
erforderlich, wurden die Verschlusssachen in dieser Datei in Übereinstimmung mit Artikel 5  
der genannten Verordnung freigegeben.  
COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
C O M (84) 2 5 3  final
Brussels, 7  m a y  1 9 8 4
M E M O R A N D U M  F R O M  T H E  C O M M I S S I O N  T O  T H E  C O U N C I L  O N  
T H E  C O N T I N U A T I O N  O F  T R A N S P O R T  I N F R A S T R U C T U R E  M E A S U R E S  
O F  C O M M U N I T Y  IN T E R E S T
C O M (84) 2 53 final

M E M O R A N D U M  F R O M  T H E  C O M M I S S I O N  T O  T H E  C O U N C I L  O N  
T H E  C O N T I N U A T I O N  O F  T R A N S P O R T  I N F R A S T R U C T U R E  M E A S U R E S  
O F  C O M M U N I T Y  I N T E R E S T
I. Transport Infrastructure Program m es underw ay
1. T h e C om m ission has already presented the following proposals o n  
support for infrastructure projects of C o m m u n ity  interest :
- Proposal for a  Council Regulation o n  support for projects of
1C o m m u n ity  interest in transport infrastructure ;
- Proposal for a  Council Regulation on financial support for a
2multiannual transport infrastructure program m e ;
- C om m unication from  the C om m ission to the Council of 2 0  M arch  1 9 8 4  
(urgent infrastructure measures to facilitate frontier crossing).3
T h e  C om m jssion has also draw n u p  - at the Council's request - a  m e d iu m  - 
term experimental program m e for transport infrastructure.
2. In the Commission's view, these proposals contain a  sufficiently w id e 
range of short· and m ed iu m  term measures to enable the
Council to decide, at its M a y  meeting, o n  appropriate selection criteria 
and the procedure for granting support for m easures to be taken over the 
next few  years and to take decisions that will ensure effective utiliza­
tion of the appropriations for 19 8 3  and 1984.
* 0 J  C  207/9, 2.9.1976 
2 0 J C  36/3, 10.2.1984 
3C 0M (84)172, 20.3.1984

-  2 -
A t this stage the selection criteria should bedelineated in such 
a  w a y  that it will b e possible - in the context of a  Regulation such 
as that proposed b y  the C om m ission ~  to select a  limited num ber of 
m ajor projects. T h e C om m ission takes the view  that the criteria 
e n v isa g e d  b y  the relevant Council bodies will'serve as a  sound basis in 
this regard. Transport infrastructure projects w hich guarantee a  
positive socio— econom ic return to the C o m m u n ity  within the fram ew ork 
of harmonious development of a  balanced infrastructure network an d  
w hich m eet one of the following criteria should be selected :
- elimination of obvious bottlenecks within the C o m m u n ity  ;
- im provem ent of m ajor links betw een all M e m b e r States.
3. A s  for effective utilization of 1 9 8 3  and 1 9 8 4  appropriations, joint 
efforts b y the Council and the C om m ission have m a d e  it possible to 
draw  u p  a  list of measures o n w hich there is a  broad consensus. T h e  
list comprises the following measures ;
3.1. M easures under the 1 9 8 3  B udget
3
421K e y  railway junction et M ulhouse-North
Luxembourg-Trier m otorw ay
W exford by-pass
R o ad  from  A ixos to Gallicos
3.2. U rgent measures under the 19 8 4  B udget
1  Railway line betw een Chiasso and M ilan
2  M o n t Blanc access (L e Fayet - L es H ouches)
3  Infrastructure to ease traffic flow at frontiers
3.3 G reek M e m o ra n d u m
1  Evzoni-Athens-Kalamata trunk road
2  Railway line from  Larissa to Piati

-3-
•  3.4 Other priority projects
1  Shankill-Bray by-pass
2  N urem berg marshalling yards
3  L ondon orbital m otorw ay
' · . Rail access to the port of H arw ich
5  Im provem ent of the L y e  inland w aterw ay
6  Dordrecht bridge,
II. Future Transport Infrastructure Program m es; W orking M ethods
1. T h e objectives
O nly if the Council accepts a  strict discipline in the definition 
of priority political objectives, based on the use of quantifiable 
criteria of C o m m u n ity  interest, will it be possible to avoid the ill 
effects of a  "pepper potting" of resources. T h e C om m ission w elcom es 
the Council's recognition of the need to impart a  wider and longer 
term dimension to infrastructure measures.
It proposes that the Council confirm its recognition of this need 
at the'lneeting o n M a y  10th so that the C om m ission can actively continue 
its preparatory w o rk  and prepare quickly proposals in this field.
W h ere the definition of priority measures is concerned, the C om m ission 
recom m ends that four priorities should be examined:
A . Support for projects on major C o m m u n ity  trade routes, notably 
w here these represent a  particular burden for transit countries;
B . Choice of appropriate solutions to deal with problem s affecting 
land-sea connections, in particular between Britain and the 
continent;

-4-
C . Gradual Im provem ent of high quality inter-city links - 
notably high-speed rail connections;
D . Better integration of outlying links in the C o m m u n ity  network.
A n  outline plan for the development of the network of C o m m u n ity  interest 
w ould be developed from  these measures; this w ould constitue a  coherent 
fram ew ork for future action w hich w ould be effectively linked to program m es 
assisted under regional development policy.
This approach seem s to be best suited to the aim  of arriving at a  
flexible program m e designed to concentrate resources upon major projects 1
such as the Alpine links, the Channel crossing, high-speed railways etc.
/
T h e C om m ission believes that it w ould be useful for the Council to discuss 
these objectives, w hich are closely linked to those already set out in 
the c o m m o n  transport policy, in order to define m ore clearly the role and 
scope of short term measures. T h e outcom e of such discussions should 
give, the C om m ission guidelines for the program m e of studies required for 
subsequent stages.
,  2. T h e M ean s
2.1. T h e general objectives outlined above will only be achieved b y 
a  concentration of the C o m m u n ity  financial resources, taking 
particular account of the possibility of integrating so m e  local 
projects in the regional policy program m e.
A s  transport networks are the instruments of European integration 
par excellence, development of these networks qualifies for 
support from  the Com m unity's instruments for loans and subsidies.

- 5  -
2»2i Firstly, there is a  specific instrument for transport infrastructure.
Its objective is to use budget resources to help to undertake 
projects of proven C o m m u n ity  interest that im prove the network.
*
In this connection/ tw o sources of financial support can be 
envisaged :
- non-repayable C o m m u n ity  support (subsides or interest rate reductions) 
for projects benefiting m ore than one M e m b e r State;
- granting a  C o m m u n ity  guarantee for large scale projects w hich can b e  
sh o w n  to be profitable only in the long term and w hich depend o n  
factors inherent in the development of the C o m m u n ity  itself.
2.3. T h e financement of transport infrastructure projects is also undertaken 
under :
- the E.R.D.F., T h e European Regional D evelopm ent F u n d  participates in 
the financing of transport infrastructure in the C o m m u n ity  assisted 
regions through the m eans of subsidies to public expenditure. F ro m  
19 7 5  to^1983, the E R D F  provided help for m o re than 6.300 projects 
amounting to 2.4 billion E C U . E R D F  assistance has been concentrated 
particularly o n  roads (1.5 billion E C U ), port im provem ents
(355 million E C U )  and o n railways (200 million E C U ). Transport 
infrastructure, w hich also includes airports, w aterw ays and urban 
transport,forms the major category of investment assisted b y  the E R D F ; 
the assistance represents a  third of the overall fund;
- the European Investment B an k  (EIB).
B etw een 1953 and 1932, the E IB  disbursed loans am ounting to almost 
3  billion E C U  under the headings, " c o m m o n  European interest" or 
"regional development" to im prove road, rail, sea and air com m unications

-  6 -
- the N e w  C o m m u n ity  Instrument (N CI). Infrastructure projects have 
fallen within the scope of this instrument since its inception in 
1978, and the financing of transport infrastructure is one of the 
priorities specified b y the Council in decisions releasing a  tranche 
of loans. F ro m  1978 to 1982, N C I  loans amounting to so m e  230 million 
E C U  w ere m ad e available to finance infrastructure projects.
2.4. T h e E IB , N C I  and the E R D F  finance investment projects. Before any '  
decision is taken on financing, each project is assessed o n its 
individual merits : each project m ust be economically and financially 
sound, viable, and profitable. M oreover,
m
- for the E IB  and N C I  :
. the granting of a  loan depends on the provision of a  first-rate 
.  guarantee and the implementation of other financing measures (o w n  
funds or other sources; in practice, the m a x im u m  proportion of 
the cost of a  project that m a y  be financed by a C o m m u n ity  loan is 
5 0 X  of the cost of the fixed assets).
. loans are granted for a  m ed iu m  to long term, and at a  fixed rate 
of interest; loans for infrastructure projects m a y  be for periods 
of u p to 2 0  years; the interest rate is linked to those charged o n  
loans in the capital markets w here the funds w ere raised.
- for the E R D F  :
. the investment project has to contribute to the zone or region w here 
it is situated and m ust be justified b y the regional development 
program m e adopted by the C om m ission,
. the assitance of the E R D F  in favour of public authorities can am ount 
to 3 0 X  w here the investment costs are L ess than 1 0  million E C U , and 
varies between 1 0  and 3 0 X  w h en  the investment exceeds 1 0  million E C U .
These rates can be extended to 4 0 X  for projects w hich have special 
importance for the development of the zone w here they are found.

-  7 -
2.5. M ention should also be m ad e of funding m a d e  available, in particular 
for large projects, b y the ' C lub of specialist long-term credit 
institutions in the European C o m m u n ity  ', w hose m em b ers jointly seek 
possible sources of finance. This Club, with w hich the relevant 
C om m ission and E IB  departments cooperate, recently adopted a  num ber
of provisions designed to facilitate its tasks and develop co-financing 
operations. A s  the C om m ission pointed out in this connection, joint 
action b y  m em bers of the C lub could be strengthened b y  resorting 
to C o m m u n ity  financing instruments.
2.6. T h e C o m m u n ity  has considerable experience in the com bined use of 
loans and grants. T h e realization of objectives deem ed  to be 
priority objectives is facilitated b y  the provision of funds o n  favou­
rable terms. T h e granting of E IB  or N C I  loans carrying interest rate 
subsidies (on the C o m m u n ity  Budget) to facilitate the reconstruction 
of areas hit by earthquakes in Italy and Greece, the combination of 
loans (E IB  or N C I) with subsidies to finance investments in less- 
favoured areas of the C o m m u n ity  are exam ples of this approach.
2.7. O n  the basis of this flexible program m e the C om m ission can, for any 
given project, exam ine and suggest the m ost appropriate w ay s of 
finance that com bine these different sources.