93/628/EEC: Council Decision of 29 October 1993 on the creation of a trans-European combined transport network

COUNCIL DECISION of 29 October 1993 on the creation of a trans-European combined transport network (93/628/EEC)
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community, and in particular Articles 75 and 84 (2) thereof,
Having regard to the proposal from the Commission (1),
Having regard to the opinion of the European Parliament (2),
Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and Social Committee (3),
Whereas the objective of combined transport is to contribute to the rapid development of trade in goods, which is needed for the success of the internal market and the cohesion of the Community, by means of the interconnection and interoperability of  different modal networks, and development of the least polluting modes of transport and decongestion of roads;
Whereas, in this context, particular account must be taken of the need to link island, landlocked and peripheral regions with the central regions of the Community;
Whereas greater use of combined transport would serve to reduce environmental pollution;
Whereas the development of combined transport should be set in the wider context of the development of multimodal transport that takes account of the possibilities offered by inland waterways and sea transport;
Whereas a network of rail and inland waterway routes adopted as the Community network should be brought into service by the year 2005 and should be designed to permit the passage of standard loading units authorized for the Community;
Whereas the creation of that Community network will require a series of works to be undertaken to ensure its rapid introduction and full market operation;
Whereas some of these works are particularly urgent and therefore require the launching as soon as possible of the first phase of the network, whilst continuing work on the following phases;
Whereas the railway system in certain Member States cannot quickly accept standard rail wagons and it should be ensured that appropriate rail wagons are provided to serve these States;
Whereas the outline plans of transport infrastructure networks are of an indicative nature and may be changed, and aim at the gradual achievement of a multimodal transport system;
Whereas the proposals which the Commission will subsequently submit to the Council establishing a series of guidelines for trans-European networks in the transport-infrastructure sector will contain the criteria which will form the basis for selecting  the measures or projects to be incorporated into the various networks;
Whereas, with a view to a possible contribution by the Community to the financing of the projects provided for by this Decision within the framework of specific financial instruments for transport infrastructure provision should be made for a  cost-benefit analysis of the projects taking into consideration their economic, social and environmental benefits,