The Central European Initiative – LP of the SEETAC project - as stakeholder at the TEN-T days - in Antwerp, Belgium
The Central European
Initiative, in its capacity as LP of the SEETAC project was invited
to participate as stakeholder at the Trans-European Transport
Networks (TEN-T) days, that took place on 29-30th November 2011 in
Antwerp, Belgium.
The event was the occasion
for the European Commission (EC) to present the proposal for the
new TEN-T Guidelines, which were adopted by the EC
on 19th October 2011. The proposal is intended to provide a
policy framework where the European infrastructure serves the
establishment of the Single European Transport Area. The Guidelines
also set out a regulatory framework with standards ensuring
efficiency and interoperability. Moreover, they provide a more
robust planning framework, composed of the Core and the
Comprehensive Network, which will allow Member States, EU
institutions and stakeholders, to concentrate on fostering the
emergence by 2030 (core network) and 2050 (comprehensive network)
of a functional network of European infrastructure.
The European TEN-T planning
is based on a broadly supported methodology necessary for
generating network effects. The dual-layer structure, with the core
network as the strategically most important part and the
comprehensive network to provide balanced access for all regions,
represents the radical change from the patchwork of national
networks and disconnected priority projects to a true European
network.
The new TEN-T policy
framework, as proposed by the Commission, foresees two key
implementation instruments: 1) Core Network Corridors whose aim is
to stimulate efficient infrastructure use and a coordination action
to enhance and extend infrastructure along with evolving demand. 2)
the Connecting Europe Facility aiming at concentrating Union
Funding until 2020 on the highest priorities and at promoting
particularly core network development in "Cohesion
Counties".
During the event, the CEI
also participated in the South East European Transport Observatory
-SEETO 7th Annual Meeting of Ministers
for the development of the SEETO Comprehensive Network. The meeting
was attended by high level delegations from the Transport and
Infrastructure Ministries of Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina,
Croatia, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Montenegro,
Serbia and Kosovo (under UNSCR 1244/99), as well as by the European
Commission, various transport related institutions and the
International Financial Institutions.
In this context a
parallel meeting between CEI, EU Commission and SEETO has been
organized in the context of SEETAC project, with the aim of
harmonizing the work of the three institution regarding the
creation of a single transport model for the Western Balkans, that
can serve as a real planning tool for all the
stakeholders.
The SEETAC project aims at
feeding the discussion on possible synergies between the TEN-T
Priority Projects and their extension to the Western Balkan
countries. In particular, the 'SEETAC exercise' is providing a
consistent point of view about the cohesion between the strategic
infrastructure of the EU candidate/potential candidate countries of
the Western Balkans with the EU most relevant projects, in order to
generate transport continuity and infrastructure development in the
European area and beyond, thus implicitly leading to a rising
competitiveness and economic development with the ultimate aim of
integrating the Western Balkan countries in the European single
market.
The event represented a good
occasion to disseminate and discus with relevant stakeholders the
achievements obtained by the project so far.