Trans-European transport network: Community guidelines

The Committee adopted the draft recommendation for second reading (rapporteur: Mr Wilhelm PIECYK (D, PES)) on the common position established by the Council with a view to the adoption of a European Parliament and Council decision on EU guidelines for the development of the trans-European transport network). All amendments, tabled by the rapporteur, are intended to reinstate the position of Parliament in first reading. The result of the first reading remains the basis for the further procedure at second reading. Mr PIECYK told the Committee that he did not want to enter into discussion with the Council for the second reading, but that he would head straight for a conciliation procedure. In the Common Position, the Council incorporated very few of Parliament's proposals. In particular, it omitted entirely the environment article, the list of priority projects, coastal shipping and the pipeline network. Other fields -such as inland ports - were only inadequately taken into account. Rapporteur PIECYK saw most of his amendments carried. They concerned the sections and articles of the proposal (1-8, 9-11, 12-26, 27a, 28, 29a, 91 and 30-31), but also the Annex I on road networks in France-Spain (32), Ireland (33), the Netherlands (33-34 and 97), the UK (35-36, 99 and 103), Germany (92-93) Germany-the Netherlands (94), Greece (95-96), Belgium-France (104-105), Belgium-the Netherlands (106), Danemark (107), Spain (108), Finland (109) France (110), Italy (113-114), Portugal (118) and Sweden (119). Amendments carried on railway networks: Germany (38-42, 120-122), Germany-France (43), Germany-Austria (123), Germany-The Netherlands (123a), Spain-France (44), France-Spain (45), Ireland (46), UK (47-49, 130-132), Austria (124), Spain (125-127), Sweden (135-136) and Europe (51 and 53). Also adopted were amendment 134 by Mr. Teverson (ELD, UK) on railway networks in the UK and bij Messrs. Parodi, Danesin, Vicecomte and Santini (It, UPE) on railway networks in Italy. Messrs. Burtone (It, EPP) and Kaklamanis (Gr, RDE) saw their amendments 142 and 144 on Annex I adopted. Also carried were the rapporteur's amendments on ports in the EU (55-65), on ferry links (66-67), on combined transport (rail) (68-78, 80-82, and 145-149). Mr Parodi c.s. also got the support of the Committee for their amendment 153. Amendments carried on combined transport (inland waterways) were 154-155 and 84 by the rapporteur and 158 by Mr Parodi c.s.. Finally, amendments were adopted on airports: Spain-Portugal (139), Denmark-Germany-Belgium-the Netherlands-Austria (160) and on the annexes II (85) and III (163 by the rapporteur and 169 by Messrs Baldarelli, Piecyk, Imbeni and Ghilardotti (PES)). Conclusions: with the backing of the Committee on Transport and Tourism, rapporteur PIECYK now is in favour of a conciliation procedure EP-Council.