1. To help achieve the objectives referred to in Articles 26 and 174 and to enable citizens of the Union, economic operators and regional and local communities to derive full benefit from the setting-up of an area without internal frontiers, the Union shall contribute to the establishment and development of trans-European networks in the areas of transport, telecommunications and energy infrastructures. 2. Within the framework of a system of open and competitive markets, action by the Union shall aim at promoting the interconnection and interoperability of national networks as well as access to such networks. It shall take account in particular of the need to link island, landlocked and peripheral regions with the central regions of the Union. (Article 170 TFEU) 1. In order to achieve the objectives referred to in Article 170, the Union: — 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, — shall implement any measures that may prove necessary to ensure the interoperability of the networks, in particular in the field of technical standardisation, — may support projects of common interest supported by Member States, which are identified in the framework of the guidelines referred to in the first indent, particularly through feasibility studies, loan guarantees or interest-rate subsidies; the Union may also contribute, through the Cohesion Fund set up pursuant to Article 177, to the financing of specific projects in Member States in the area of transport infrastructure. The Union’s activities shall take into account the potential economic viability of the projects. 2. Member States shall, in liaison with the Commission, coordinate among themselves the policies pursued at national level which may have a significant impact on the achievement of the objectives referred to in Article 170. The Commission may, in close cooperation with the Member State, take any useful initiative to promote such coordination. 3. The Union may decide to cooperate with third countries to promote projects of mutual interest and to ensure the interoperability of networks. (Article 171 TFEU)

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 Union instruments; to enable the simplification and flexibility of TEN-T implementation; to raise the profile of Union 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 MOVE, continues to address all policy-making 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 — Internal audit The Internal Audit Service of the European Commission and the Internal Audit Capability of the Agency. 4 — External audit Court of Auditors. 5 — Discharge Authority Parliament acting on a recommendation from 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. 555,6 million euro in outstanding commitments linked to the 2000-2006 Financial Perspective. The Agency implements the operational budget under the responsibility of the Commission. (B) 8,86 million euro (100 % Union subsidy) for the administrative budget for which the Agency is autonomous. Staff at 31 December 2009 TA posts: 32 posts listed in the establishment plan, of which 31 (97 %) occupied. Contract staff: 67 posts planned, of which 60 (90 %) were occupied. Total staff: 99 (91 occupied) Responsible for (a) Operational tasks: 64 (59 occupied) (b) Administrative tasks: 16 (15 occupied) (c) Financial control/accounting: 19 (17 occupied)