Proposal for a Decision of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Decision No 1692/96/EC on Community guidelines for the development of the trans-European transport network (COM(2001) 544 final — 2001/0229(COD)) (Text with EEA relevance)
Date: 2001-12-18
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: economic and social cohesion, trans-European network, transport network, transport policy

18.12.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 362 E/205

Proposal for a Decision of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Decision
No 1692/96/EC on Community guidelines for the development of the trans-European transport
network

(2001/C 362 E/02)

(Text with EEA relevance)

COM(2001) 544 final (cid:151) 2001/0229(COD)

(Submitted by the Commission on 9 October 2001)

THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL
OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European
Community, and in particular the first paragraph of Article
156 thereof,

Having regard to the proposal from the Commission,

Having regard to the opinion of
Committee,

the Economic and Social

Having regard to the opinion of the Committee of the Regions,

Whereas

(1) The growth in traffic,

is

in particular due to the growing
share of heavy goods vehicles, has resulted in increased
congestion and bottlenecks on international
transport
corridors. In order to ensure the mobility of goods and
it
passengers,
therefore necessary to optimise the
capacity of
the trans-European transport network, as
referred to in Decision No 1692/96/EC of the European
Parliament and of
the Council of 23 July 1996 on
Community guidelines for the development of the trans-
European transport network (1), as amended by Decision
No 1346/2001/EC (2).

(2) Requirements for the protection of the environment must
be integrated into the definition and implementation of
policy in the field of
the trans-European networks in
accordance with Article 6 of the Treaty. This entails the
promotion of modes that cause less damage to the
environment, namely rail transport, short sea shipping
and inland waterways shipping.

(3) The Gothenburg European Council has

invited the
to adopt by 2003 revised
Community institutions
guidelines
the trans-European transport network,
for
with a view to giving priority, where appropriate, to infra-
structure investment for railways, inland waterways, short
sea shipping, intermodal operations and effective intercon-
nections.

(4) The Commission White Paper on the European transport
policy (3) calls for an integrated approach combining inter
alia measures to revitalise the rail sector, in particular for
freight
to
to promote short
encourage greater complementarity between high speed
rail and air transport, to promote the development of
to ensure
intelligent
interoperable
increased network efficiency and safety.

sea shipping,

transport

services,

systems

the

2001/12/EC of

(5) The efficiency of the common transport policy depends
inter alia on the coherence between the measures to
infra-
revitalise the rail sector and to develop the rail
structure. Directive
European
Parliament and of
the Council of 26 February 2001
amending Council Directive 91/440/EEC on the devel-
opment of the Community’s railways (4) provides for a
Trans-European Rail Freight Network open to inter-
national freight transport services after 2003. The lines
of the Trans-European Rail Freight Network should be
considered as part of the rail network defined by the
guidelines set out in Decision No 1692/96/EC so that
they can benefit
traffic
from the road.

from investments and attract

(6) The second Pan-European Transport Conference in Crete
in 1994 and the third Pan-European Transport Conference
in Helsinki in 1997 identified ten Pan-European transport
corridors and four Pan-European areas as priorities for
cooperation between the European Community and the
third countries concerned.

Lithuania, Malta,

Poland, Romania,

(7) Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Cyprus, Estonia, Hungary,
Slovak
Latvia,
Republic, Slovenia, and Turkey have concluded association
and Europe agreements and applied for membership in
the European Union. The transport administrations of
11 of
the
Commission, performed a transport infrastructure needs
assessment (5).

countries, with the

support of

those

(8) Specific projects Nos 9, 10 and 11 of Annex III have been

completed.

(9) The interconnection of the high-speed train south to the
rest of the network requires the extension of the project
to N(cid:238)mes.

(1) OJ L 228, 9.9.1996, p. 1.
(2) OJ L 185, 6.7.2001, p. 1.

(3) COM(2001) 370.
(4) OJ L 75, 15.3.2001, p. 1.
(5) PHARE contract 97/0150.00.

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(10) The Brenner axis needs better connections to Italian cities.

(11) Galileo, a European project for satellite-based radio navi-
gation for civilian purposes, offers a strong potential for
the development of navigation, positioning and traffic
management applications and services for all modes of
transport, as well as for the development of value-added
mobility services.

(12) Immediate actions must be taken to develop a high
capacity rail route to transfer road freight traffic to rail
and to make transit across the Pyrenees easier in order to
handle the sharp traffic increase in that area.

(13) The growth of international traffic on the west-east route
in particular along the

between Stuttgart and Vienna,
Danube corridor, requires efficient infrastructure.

(14) The bottleneck between Straubing and Vilshofen on the
River Danube seriously hinders traffic on the international
inland waterway Rhine-Main-Danube from the North Sea
to the Black Sea.

(b) establishment

and

development of

infrastructure
making it possible to link island, landlocked, peripheral
and outermost regions with the central regions of the
Community;

(c)

the necessary measures for the gradual achievement of
an interoperable rail network giving priority to freight
transport, including measures in intermodal terminals;

(d) establishment

ensure
connections to ports in order to foster short sea and
inland shipping services;

infrastructures

rail

to

of

(e) measures to link rail and air transport, including rail
access to airports and the infrastructure and facilities
required for air and rail transport services;

(f) deployment of

transport
systems to optimise the capacity of existing infra-
structure and improve safety;

interoperable

intelligent

(g)

integration of safety and environmental concerns in the
design and implementation of
the trans-European
transport network.(cid:146)

(15) The lack of interoperability of the Iberian rail network is a
major obstacle to achieve an efficient trans-European rail
network.

2. Article 8 is replaced by the following:

(16) The completion of a fixed link between Germany and
Denmark should make the Nordic area more accessible.

(17) Decision No 1692/96/EC should therefore be amended

accordingly,

HAVE ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

Article 1

Decision No 1692/96/EC is amended as follows:

1. Article 5 is replaced by the following:

assessments of projects of

(cid:145)1. When projects are developed and carried out,
environmental protection must be taken into account by
the Member States through execution of environmental
common interest
impact
which are
to Council
Directive 85/337/EEC of 27 June 1985 on the assessment
of the effects of certain public and private projects on the
environment (1)
applying Council Directive
92/43/EEC of 21 May 1992 on the conservation of
natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora (2).

implemented pursuant

to be

and

by

Where necessary, an environmental assessment of
leading to such projects,
plans and programmes
particular those financed by the Community,
mented
2001/42/EC of
the European Parliament and of
Council of 27 June 2001 on the assessment of
effects of
environment (3).

the
in
is imple-
to Directive
the
the
and programmes on the

certain plans

by Member

pursuant

States,

(cid:145)Taking into account the objectives set out in Article 2 and
the broad lines of measures set out
the
priorities shall be:

in Article 4,

If new routes or other important nodal infrastructure
2.
developments are proposed for inclusion in this Decision,
an environmental evaluation of the proposed changes, in
line with the principles of
the Strategic Environmental
Assessment, shall be initiated by the Committee established
under Article 18.2.(cid:146)

(a) establishment and development of the key links and
interconnections needed to eliminate bottlenecks, fill
in missing sections, notably their cross-border parts,
and improve interoperability on major routes;

(1) OJ L 175, 5.7.1985, p. 40.
(2) OJ L 206, 22.7.1992, p. 7.
(3) OJ L 197, 21.7.2001, p. 30.

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3. In Article 9, paragraph 3 is replaced by the following:

4.

The network shall:

include infrastructure for traffic
(cid:145)3.
The network shall
management, user information,
incident and emergency
handling and electronic fee collection based on active
at
cooperation between traffic management
European, national
service
providers of
travel and traffic information and value
added services, ensuring the necessary complimentarity
with applications whose deployment is facilitated under
the
networks
program.(cid:146)

telecommunications

systems
and

trans-European

regional

level

and

4. Article 10 is replaced by the following:

(cid:151) play an important role in long distance passenger

traffic,

(cid:151) permit interconnection with airports,

(cid:151) permit access to regional and local rail networks,

(cid:151) facilitate freight transport by identifying and developing
trunk routes dedicated to freight or routes on which
freight trains have a priority,

The rail network shall comprise high-speed rail lines

(cid:145)1.
and conventional rail lines.

(cid:151) play an important role in combined transport,

2.

The high-speed rail lines shall comprise:

(cid:151) permit

interconnection with short sea shipping and

inland waterways.

(a) specially built high-speed lines equipped for speeds
to or greater than 250 km/h using

generally equal
current or new technology,

(b) specially upgraded high-speed lines
speeds of the order of 200 km/h,

equipped for

(c) specially upgraded high speed lines which have special
features as a result of topographical, relief or town
planning constraints, on which the speed must be
adapted to each case or lines which provides access
to airports of common interest.

This network shall be defined by the lines indicated in
Annex I. Essential requirements and Technical Specification
lines in
for Interoperability applicable to high speed rail
current
technology are defined according to Council
Directive No 96/48/EC of 23 July 1996 on the interoper-
the trans-European high-speed rail system (1).
ability of
Member States shall notify to the Commission prior to
is a
the opening of any high speed line whether
specially built high-speed line or a specially upgraded
high-speed line.

it

rail

lines

The conventional

shall comprise high
3.
quality lines,
including the rail segments of combined
transport referred to in Article 14, access links to sea
and inland ports of common interest and those freight
terminals which are open to all operators. Essential
requirements and Technical Specification for Interoper-
lines are
ability applicable
defined
the
according
European Parliament and of
the Council of 19 March
2001 on the interoperability of the trans-European conven-
tional rail system (2).

to Directive 2001/16/EC of

conventional

to the

rail

5.
The network shall offer users a high level of quality
and safety, owing to its continuity and to gradual
implementation of its interoperability, brought about in
particular by technical harmonisation and the ERTMS
harmonised command and control system recommended
for
end, a
deployment plan shall be established by the Commission.

the European railway network. To this

6.
The network shall include the infrastructures and the
facilities allowing the integration of rail and air transport
services.(cid:146)

5. In Article 11,

the following paragraph 3(b)

shall be

inserted:

(cid:145)3(b)
The inland ports of the network equipped with
transhipment facilities for intermodal transport and with
an annual freight traffic volume of at least 500 000 tonnes
are shown in Annex I.(cid:146)

6. In Article 13, the following paragraph 3 is added:

International and Community connecting points
(cid:145)3.
shall be gradually linked to the high-speed lines of the
rail network, where
appropriate. The network shall
include the infrastructures and the facilities allowing the
integration of air and rail transport services.(cid:146)

7. Article 18 is amended as follows:

(a) the title is replaced by

(1) OJ L 235, 17.9.1996, p. 6.
(2) OJ L 110, 20.4.2001, p. 1.

(cid:145)Committee for monitoring and the revision of
guidelines.(cid:146)

the

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(b) paragraph 1 is replaced by the following:

(cid:145)1. Member States shall, before 2004, notify the
Committee established under article 18.2, and the
Commission, of the national plans and programmes,
which they have drawn up, affecting the development
of the trans-European transport network, including the
nature, the timetable and the estimated financial plans
of the projects of common interest identified by this
Decision.

Member States shall also notify the Committee estab-
lished under article 18.2 and the Commission, of any
updates of those plans and programmes.

A Member State shall, before making any change
affecting the network identified in the Annexes to
that change to the
this Decision give notice of
Committee
the
under
Commission, and any Member States likely to be
affected of its intention.(cid:146)

established

article

18.2,

(c) paragraph 3 is amended as follows:

The Commission shall report regularly to the
(cid:145)3.
European Parliament, the Council, the Economic and
Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions
on the implementation of the guidelines described in
this Decision. The Committee referred to in paragraph
2 shall assist the Commission with drawing up the

report. The
necessary by
guidelines.(cid:146)

report

shall be
legislative proposals

accompanied where
the
to revise

8. Article 19 is replaced by the following:

(cid:145)Article 19

Specific projects

Annex III contains the projects of common interest, the
implementation of which is considered a priority by the
Community(cid:146).

9. Articles 20 and 21 are deleted.

10. Annexes I and III to Decision No 1629/96/EC are amended

as set out in the Annex to this Decision.

Article 2

This Decision shall enter into force on the twentieth day
following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the
European Communities.

Article 3

This Decision is addressed to the Member States.

ANNEX

Annexes I and III to Decision No 1692/96/EC are amended as follows:

1. In Annex I, the sections 2, 3, 4 and 6 are replaced as follows:

Section 2: Road network

2.0.

2.1.

Europe

Belgium

2.2. Denmark

2.3. Germany

Section 3: Rail network

3.0.

3.1.

Europe

Belgium

3.2. Denmark

3.3. Germany

2.4. Greece

2.5.

2.6.

2.7.

Spain

France

Ireland

3.4. Greece

3.5.

3.6.

3.7.

Spain

France

Ireland

2.8.

2.9.

Italy

Luxembourg

2.10. Netherlands

2.11. Austria

2.12. Portugal

2.13. Finland

2.14. Sweden

2.15. United Kingdom

3.8.

3.9.

Italy

Luxembourg

3.10. Netherlands

3.11. Austria

3.12. Portugal

3.13. Finland

3.14. Sweden

3.15. United Kingdom

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Section 4: Inland waterways network and inland ports

Section 6: Airports network

6.0. Europe

6.1. Belgium/Denmark/Germany/Luxembourg/

Netherlands/Austria

6.2. Greece

6.3. Spain/Portugal

2. Annex III is replaced by:

LIST OF SPECIFIC PROJECTS

6.4.

6.5.

6.6.

6.7.

France

Ireland/United Kingdom

Italy

Finland/Sweden

1. High-speed train/combined transport north-south:
Munich-Nuremberg-Erfurt-Halle/Leipzig-Berlin
Brenner axis: Napoli-Verona-Munich and Bologna-Milano

2. High-speed train PBCAL (Paris-Brussels-Cologne-Amsterdam-London):
Belgium: F/B border-Brussels-LiŁge-B/D border Brussels-B/NL border
United Kingdom: London-Channel Tunnel Access
Netherlands: B/NL border-Rotterdam-Amsterdam
Germany: (Aachen) G27 Cologne-Rhine/Main

3. High-speed train south:

Madrid-Barcelona-Perpignan-Montpelier-N(cid:238)mes
Madrid-Vitoria-Dax

4. High-speed train east

Paris-Metz-Strasbourg-Appenweier-(Karlsruhe) with junctions to Metz-Saarbr(cid:252)cken-Mannheim and Metz-Luxembourg

5. Conventional rail/combined transport: Betuwe line

Rotterdam-NL/D border-(Rhine/Ruhr)

6. High-speed train/combined transport, France-Italy

Lyon-Turin
Turin-Milan-Venice-Trieste

7. Greek motorways: Pathe: Rio Antirio, Patras-Athens-Thessaloniki-Promahon (Greek/Bulgarian border) and
(Greek/Turkish
Igoumenitsa-Thessaloniki-Alexandroupolis-Ormenio (Greek/Bulgarian border)-Kipi

Via Egnatia:
border)

8. Multimodal Link Portugal-Spain-Central Europe

12. Nordic Triangle (rail/road)

13. Ireland/United Kingdom/Benelux road link

14. West Coast main line (rail)

15. Global navigation and positioning satellite system Galileo

16. High-capacity rail link across the Pyrenees

17. East European Combined Transport/High Speed Train:

Stuttgart-Munich-Salzbourg/Linz-Vienna

18. Danube river improvement between Vilshofen and Straubing

19. High-speed rail interoperability on the Iberian peninsula

20. Fehmarn belt: fixed link between Germany and Denmark

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