Today the European Parliament has voted in plenary on its position regarding the revision of the TEN-T regulation. The trans-European transport network is a cornerstone of European transport policy and the new regulation shall improve sustainable connectivity and thereby support the objectives of the European Green Deal. The elaboration of the TEN-T has great influence on STRING’s work in building a connected megaregion in Northern Europe. We therefore welcome the position of the European Parliament, that includes STRING’s main priorities and helps shaping transport policy in a positive direction.
What is TEN-T?
The TEN-T regulation aims to develop a Europe-wide network of railway lines, roads, inland waterways, maritime shipping routes, ports, airports and railroad terminals. The ultimate objective is to close gaps, remove bottlenecks and technical barriers, as well as to strengthen social economic and territorial cohesion in the EU. The TEN-T regulation is also the basis for eligibility on EU CEF-funding.
STRING priorities for a revised TEN-T regulation:
- Setting a requirement for double track in cross-border bottlenecks.
- Open up for metro/light rail as a cross-border transport mode between two cross-border urban nodes.
- Strengthen the role of regions in European transport planning.
After the vote in the plenary of the European Parliament, the negotiations between parliament and council on the final legislation will start shortly. We will hope that even the European Council recognises the need for improved cross-border transportation and will, likewise the European parliament, support the implementation of our priorities.
