1) CONTENT:
1. This regulation defines conditions and procedures for granting Community aid to projects of common interest in the field of trans-European transport, energy and telecommunications infrastructure networks. It has no effect on the specific rules set out in the proposal for a Council decision on trans-European telematics networks between administrations (IDA).
2. Eligibility criteria:
* projects of common interest funded by the Member States and identified under the guidelines referred to in Article 129 C of the Treaty;
* projects funded by bodies similar, from an administrative or legal point of view, to public bodies;
* other infrastructure projects which will help to achieve the objectives of Article 129 B of the Treaty, where the Council has not yet laid down the aforementioned guidelines.
The concept of "project" includes technically and financially independent project stages which form a separate entity designed to fulfil an economic and technical purpose.
3. Type(s) of Community aid:
* cofinancing of feasibility studies (this requires substantial involvement of public authorities), preparatory and evaluation studies and other technical support measures (if necessary up to 100% of the total cost, if undertaken at the Commission's initiative);
* contribution towards loan guarantee fees (full or partial);
* interest rate subsidies (maximum of 10% of the total cost of the investment in equivalent net subsidy);
* cofinancing for investment projects (exceptional).
4. The budgetary authority will decide on the sum in appropriations for each financial year and each field.
5. Common project selection criteria: priority will be granted when awarding Community aid on the basis of the extent to which projects help to:
* implement the trans-European networks;
* harmonise technical standards;
* ensure the interconnection and interoperability of national networks;
* improve access to networks;
* integrate the various networks;
* ensure the reliability and safety of the networks.
Other common project selection criteria concern their contribution to the proper working of the internal market, cohesion policy and environmental protection and their potential economic viability.
6. Selection criteria relating more specifically to transport. Community financial aid will be granted to projects evaluated on the basis of the extent to which they help implement the multimodal and transnational dimensions of the networks and develop smooth, environmentally-friendly traffic at European level.
7. Applications for aid must be submitted to the Commission by the Member State concerned or by the body concerned, with the agreement of the Member State. The regulation specifies the information to be included in every application for the purpose of assessment and identification (e.g. name of body responsible, type of intervention planned, description of project in question etc.).
8. Financial arrangements: eligible expenditure and means of payment.
9. Financial control will be exercised by the Member States, although the Commission may send in officials or agents to control projects financed in situ, without prejudice to national controls. The Commission may reduce, suspend or withdraw aid in the event of irregularity or if one of conditions in the decision to grant aid is not met.
10. Cooperation on systematic evaluation of state of progress of projects: every two years, the Commission will present a report on the activities carried out under this regulation.
11. In the transport sector, the Commission will be assisted in implementing this regulation by the transport infrastructure committee set up under Council decision 78/174/EEC (management committee).
2) OBJECTIVE: to lay down general rules for granting Community financial aid to transport, telecommunications and energy infrastructure projects identified under Council guidelines on trans-European networks.
Source: European Commission - Info92 08/95�