BAKGRUNN (fra kommisjonsmeddelelsen, engelsk utgave)

Introduction – Scope of cooperation with third countries

The ambition of the trans-European transport network (TEN-T) policy is to provide for seamless, sustainable and effective transport across the Union while strengthening social, economic and territorial cohesion. The policy has been implemented since 1996, and the current TEN-T legal framework is set out in Regulation (EU) No 1315/2013 (“the TEN-T Regulation”). On 14 December 2021, the Commission proposed a revision of the current policy framework, notably to reflect the priorities of the European Green Deal, the Sustainable and Smart Mobility Strategy of the Commission and the Global Gateway Connectivity Strategy.

The TEN-T represents the highest level of infrastructure planning of the Union. Foreseen to be completed by 2030, the core network of the TEN-T will provide high quality, multimodal connections of all capitals and main transport arteries of the Union, as the cornerstone of the Single European Transport Area. Transport flows, however, do not stop at the Union border. With the increasingly globally interlinked value and supply chains, the provision of cross-border connectivity with third countries has long been gaining importance to the Union.

The TEN-T policy has been a centrepiece in the projection of the Union transport policy to third countries. Drawing on the Lisbon Treaty that articulated the importance of giving priority to cross-border cooperation with the European Neighbourhood (Article 8 of the TEU), Article 8 of the Regulation that sets out the framework for cooperation with third countries was elaborated with a targeted focus on cooperation with the neighbouring countries, which are the subset of third countries falling under the scope of the Enlargement Policy, the European Neighbourhood Policy, the European Economic Area and the European Free Trade Association.

In accordance with Article 8(4) of the TEN-T Regulation, Annex III includes indicative maps of the TEN-T extended to specific neighbouring countries. Since the adoption of the TEN-T Regulation, the Union has extended the indicative TEN-T to:

- The European Economic Area and European Free Trade Association;

- The Western Balkans (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo (*), The Republic of North Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia);

- The Eastern Partnership (EaP) (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine);

- Turkey: the comprehensive network of Turkey as incorporated in the TEN-T Regulation.

(*) *This reference is without prejudice to the status of Kosovo and is in line with UNSCR 1244 and the ICJ Opinion on Kosovo declaration of independence.

In addition, as regards the Mediterranean region, the identification of a comprehensive network that will define a trans-Mediterranean network for transport (TMN-T) is still ongoing. The process is carried out with the Southern Mediterranean Partners. The indicative network allows the Union to better target EU engagement, including financial support. The Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument (NDICI)-Global Europe and the Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA) III support an enabling environment to facilitate sustainable infrastructure investment, and allow the EU to leverage public and private investments through International Financial Institutions to support connectivity objectives. Such support is framed within the Economic and Investment Plans for the Western Balkans, the Eastern Partnership and the Southern Neighbourhood. In addition, the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF II) may also be used for co-funding projects mainly located in the cross-border regions of the Union and the neighbouring countries.

This Communication sustains the focus of the TEN-T policy that gives priority to cooperation with neighbouring countries. First, it outlines how to address common challenges with enlargement countries and countries in the European Neighbourhood and how the Union in the future will work together with these partners in the TEN-T policy area, in particular, as concerns the further development of the interoperability of the networks of enlargement and other neighbouring countries with the Union network. Second, it sets out the measures that aim at completing the extended TEN-T in these countries.

The Communication builds on the Smart and Sustainable Mobility Strategy and is closely linked with the Global Gateway Joint Communication. It also contributes to the aim set out in the European Green Deal of developing a clean, sustainable and smart transport network that places the Union and the European Neighbourhood on a sustainable path while achieving socio-economic recovery from the COVID-19 crisis. This Communication is presented together with the Commission proposal for a revised TEN-T Regulation. The Commission proposal includes a slightly amended legal framework for cooperation with third countries. It removes the provisions on the financing of projects from Article 8 of the TEN-T Regulation to avoid duplicating the legislation on Union financial support. It introduces new provisions that strengthen the two Commission coordinating instruments; the core network corridors and the European Coordinators. In the Commission proposal, a core network corridor is foreseen to be extended to the Western Balkans.