Trans-European transport network: Community guidelines

The Commission adopted 39 of the 111 amendments adopted by the EP at second reading and rejected 72. It rejected, in particular, the amendments aimed at modifying the common position that had been accepted. The main amendments incorporated in the amended proposal related primarily to the following points: * Recitals: - adding a specific reference to the environment; - promoting modes of transport that were least harmful to the environment; - including a reference to the need to assess the projects in light of the alternative options; - highlighting the effect of investment on job creation. * Objectives: - clarifying that the network should help to achieve the Community's objectives, and adding a reference to competition; - replacing "quality infrastructures" with "high-quality infrastructures"; - adding a specific reference to damage to the environment; - ensuring that the network was interoperable both within and between modes of transport. * Broad lines of measures: - stipulating that interconnection centres should be established close to urban centres; - including in the broad lines of measures any other actions which proved necessary. * Priorities: - the priorities of the measures concerned the establishment (and development) of connections and the improvement of access to the network; - a new paragraph referring to projects of specific economic interest. * Projects of common interest: - a new paragraph referring to the priority projects (listed in Annex III) which should commence within five years; - to ensure that the Member States implemented the network schemes and facilitated the completion of the projects. * A new article concerning environmental requirements at Community and national level. * Seaports and sea transport: - a new heading for Section 5 and a new wording of the article on ports; - a new article concerning seaports and coastal shipping (description of short-distance coastal shipping). * Inland waterways: - inclusion of a paragraph concerning the network for information exchange and the management of internal navigation. * Annex I - Network schemes: - Road network: the Commission accepted the amendments aimed at adding five connections involving Germany, Ireland and the United Kingdom and doing away with four connections involving Greece, Finland, Portugal and Sweden; - Rail network: as regards conventional lines, five connections were added involving Germany, France and the United Kingdom; as regards specially upgraded high-speed lines, four connections were added involving Germany, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and Italy; - Inland waterway network: addition of one connection involving Italy; - Combined transport (rail corridors): addition of a connection involving Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany. �