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MEMO/10/526

Brussels, 27 October 2010

MID-TERM REVIEW of the 2007-2013 TEN-T Multi-Annual Programme Project Portfolio

1. What is the TEN-T policy and programme?

A well-running transport infrastructure is essential to maintaining the European Union's competitiveness and wealth. Its 27 Member States currently have five million km of paved roads, more than 215,000 km of rail lines and 41,000 km of navigable inland waterways.

The TEN-T policy supports the completion of 30 Priority Projects, representing high European added value, as well as projects of common interest and traffic management systems that will play a key role in facilitating the mobility of goods and passengers within the EU.

The TEN-T Programme has a budget of €8.013 billion for the current 2007-2013 spending framework. Multi-annual and annual work programmes set the specific objectives and priorities to be met. The budget for the Multi-Annual Programme, which targets the highest priorities of the TEN-T including the Priority Projects as well as the horizontal priorities, represents 80-85% of the total available through the TEN-T Programme for the period 2007-2013.

2. What is the Multi-Annual Programme portfolio?

The multi-annual work programme of the current financial framework targets the highest priorities of the TEN-T network as defined in the TEN-T Guidelines. These are the 30 Priority Projects, as well as horizontal priorities, namely traffic management systems for all transport modes, measures to develop an interoperable railway network, especially for freight railway lines, and measures to promote maritime and inland waterway transport.

The Multi-Annual Programme especially supports complex projects with a long-term perspective. All of these projects are particularly susceptible to changes in legal, financial and political environments. The main challenges and risks include long term planning and investments. Projects involving several countries, also known as cross-border projects, often face additional coordination, management and funding difficulties in comparison with similar national projects. 23% of the projects in the 2007-2013 MAP review project portfolio with a total allocation of 60.2% of the TEN-T funding for the portfolio are cross-border projects.

A particular effort to concentrate the funding was made in selecting these projects: the share of the budget for cross-border doubled from 30 to 60% and the average co funding by the EU rose from around 6 to over 16% (see the statistics in annex).

The 30 TEN Priority Projects (or axes) listed below.

For a map and more detail on the 30 Priority Projects/Networks see:



|[pic|Railway axis Berlin-Verona/Milano-Bologna-Napoli-Messina-Palermo |

|] | |

|[pic|High-speed railway axis Paris-Bruxelles/Brussel-Köln-Amsterdam-London: PBKAL |

|] | |

|[pic|High-speed railway axis of southwest Europe |

|] | |

|[pic|High-speed railway axis east |

|] | |

|[pic|Betuwe line: COMPLETED |

|] | |

|[pic|Railway axis Lyon-Trieste-Divača/Koper-Divača-Ljubljana-Budapest-Ukrainian border |

|] | |

|[pic|Motorway axis Igoumenitsa/Patra-Athina-Sofia-Budapest |

|] | |

|[pic|Multimodal axis Portugal/Spain-rest of Europe |

|] | |

|[pic|Railway axis Cork–Dublin–Belfast–Stranraer: COMPLETED 2001 |

|] | |

|[pic|Malpensa airport: COMPLETED 2001 |

|] | |

|[pic|Øresund bridge: COMPLETED 2000 |

|] | |

|[pic|Nordic Triangle railway/road axis |

|] | |

|[pic|Road axis United Kingdom/Ireland/Benelux |

|] | |

|[pic|West coast main line |

|] | |

|[pic|Galileo |

|] | |

|[pic|Freight railway axis Sines/Algeciras-Madrid-Paris |

|] | |

|[pic|Railway axis Paris-Strasbourg-Stuttgart-Wien-Bratislava |

|] | |

|[pic|Waterway axis Rhine/Meuse-Main-Danube |

|] | |

|[pic|High-speed rail interoperability in the Iberian Peninsula |

|] | |

|[pic|Railway axis Fehmarn belt |

|] | |

|[pic|Motorways of the Sea |

|] | |

|[pic|Railway axis Athina–Sofia–Budapest–Wien–Praha–Nürnberg/Dresden |

|] | |

|[pic|Railway axis Gdańsk-Warszawa-Brno/Bratislava-Wien |

|] | |

|[pic|Railway axis Lyon/Genova-Basel-Duisburg-Rotterdam/Antwerpen |

|] | |

|[pic|Motorway axis Gdansk-Brno/Bratislava-Vienna |

|] | |

|[pic|Railway/road axis Ireland/United Kingdom/continental Europe |

|] | |

|[pic|"Rail Baltica" axis: Warszawa-Kaunas-Riga-Tallinn-Helsinki |

|] | |

|[pic]|"Eurocaprail" on the Brussels-Luxembourg-Strasbourg railway axis |

|[pic]|Railway axis of the Ionian/Adriatic intermodal corridor |

|[pic]|Inland Waterway Seine-Scheldt |

3. Why is the mid-term review being carried out? Why is it important?

This mid-term review was carried out to ensure that TEN-T projects are producing the highest EU value-added. The review aims at optimising the use of TEN-T funds, for the greatest possible value for European citizens, ensuring both project delivery and tight management of the EU budget.

The main aim is to assess the progress made in the current and future implementation of the projects. On this basis, the Commission was able to analyse to what extent and under what conditions the Multi-Annual Programme is expected to achieve its stated objectives and to propose possible improvements.

The mid-term review covers 92 projects selected under the 2007 Multi-Annual Programme calls for proposals planned to be initially implemented from 2007 to 2013. The 92 projects account for approximately two-thirds of the total TEN-T budget for this period (€5.301 billion out of a total €8.013 billion) and 78% of the total Multi-Annual Programme for the entire 2007-2013 period. The total investment of these projects is €32.647 billion.

4. What methodology was used?

The mid-term review is based on the following components:

- information given by the Member States on the progress of the projects;

- an assessment by external experts and internal experts of the information received;

- a detailed analysis of the actual progress of the projects external experts and internal experts, formulating clear recommendations;

- the formulation of different scenarios allowing to strike a balance between project delivery and tight management of the EU budget;

- classification of the projects according to future implementation plans and proposal of the final scenario.

The review was conducted by DG MOVE in cooperation with the TEN-T Executive Agency, on the basis of independent external assessment. The assessment of individual projects was based on the information collected through the annual reporting received by the Agency on technical and financial issues, supplemented by a questionnaire to provide additional information, such as detailed reasons affecting project implementation (including delays), risk management and updated future implementation plans for the project.

External experts ensured a high degree of credibility, objectivity and transparency. They worked together with Agency staff on mixed panels to enable informed and unbiased consensus opinions on the individual projects.

Building on these consensus views, an internal review panel defined a scenario which could be applied equally and fairly to all projects combining good budgetary management with continued support for the MAP project portfolio while respecting the responsibility of the Member States for the timely implementation of the projects.

5. What are the main findings?

The findings show that 52.2% of the reviewed projects will be implemented by the end of the current programming period on 31 December 2013. Given the long term planning involved in most projects of the MAP portfolio, an extension of the TEN-T financial support until 2015 will allow a balance to be struck between project delivery and tight management. In this respect, four categories of projects were defined. Each project was classified and conditions defined where relevant. The following graph describes the categories and provides a summary of the project classification results:

[pic]

The two year extension up till the end of 2015 is accompanied by detailed implementing conditions that will be closely monitored, to ensure better use of resources while fulfilling the objectives of the Programme. Thus, a total of 83.7% of the reviewed projects could be completed by extending the deadline by two years, subject to specific political, technical and financial conditions. The extension to 2015 will also enable an additional €1.3 billion of the allocated €5.3 billion in TEN-T funding to be absorbed and a further 29 projects to reach completion.

Projects running after the end of 2015 will have their allocated funding beyond that date cut, whereas for some other projects, a reduction of TEN-T funding is foreseen as a result of an inability to meet critical objectives.

Therefore, under the chosen scenario, it will be possible to optimise the effectiveness of the Programme and to liberate around €311 million which will not be absorbed within this newly defined timeframe running up till the end of 2015. This amount will be subsequently re-injected into new calls preparing future projects, promoting innovative financing, enhancing the participation of private investors as well as continuing to enhance the interoperability of the TEN-T through traffic management systems.

[pic]

The review established clear evidence that the administrative and policy changes, which were introduced and applied in the current Programme, have had a positive impact on the integration of the TEN-T network. The direct management approach, via the creation of the TEN-T Executive Agency, the appointment of European Coordinators, the increase in Programme resources and the increased co-funding rates, in particular for cross-border sections, facilitate considerably the implementation of projects and help solve related difficulties.

TEN-T BACKGROUND

6. What is TEN-T?

TEN-T was established by the European Union to help build missing links or remove transport bottlenecks by creating a single, multimodal network that efficiently integrates land, sea and air transport networks throughout Europe. The funding offered by the EU acts as a catalyst for attracting additional funds from investors and as such often proves to be crucial to whether a project gets carried out or not.

The 1992 Maastricht Treaty defined the TEN-T policy and mandated the development of TEN-T Guidelines to facilitate the establishment of a single, multimodal network covering traditional infrastructure and equipment as well as the deployment of innovative and intelligent transport systems to enable safe, efficient and sustainable traffic, by supporting 14 Priority Projects as well as projects of common interest and by mobilising EU support. In 2004, the list of Priority Projects[1] was extended to 30 projects, to take account of the accession of 10 and then 2 more countries to the EU.

The TEN-T Guidelines identify the Trans-European Transport Network including road, rail and inland waterway networks, seaports and inland waterway ports, airports and other interconnection points between modal networks. Integration and smooth operation of the system is ensured through efficient traffic management systems comprising systems for road (Intelligent Transport Services - ITS), rail (European Rail Traffic Management System - ERTMS), air (in the context of the Single European Sky policy and aligned with technology innovation through SESAR) and waterborne transport on inland waterways (River Information Systems - RIS) as well as the European positioning and navigation systems (GNSS/Galileo).

The 30 Priority Projects (PP) within the European transport network are of high European added value. They are expected to play a key role in facilitating further the mobility of goods and passengers within the EU and thus contribute towards greater European integration. Intended to be completed by 2020, these Priority Projects include 18 railway projects, 3 combined rail and-road infrastructure, and 2 inland waterways transport projects. Most of the Priority Projects are still ongoing and therefore qualify for and receive financial support under the TEN-T programme.

In the context of EU policy, the TEN-T network is supported through different Programmes. In that respect, projects on this network are eligible to receive EU grants, as a rule in a form of co-financing, notably from the TEN-T Programme, Cohesion funds, ERDF and the Research Framework Programme. However, it is not possible for the same project to receive grants from more than one EU funding source. TEN-T projects may also benefit from loans and guarantees from the European Investment Bank (EIB).

7. Who is responsible for TEN-T?

The European Commission's Directorate-General for Mobility and Transport (DG MOVE) defines the TEN-T policy, while the TEN-T Executive Agency turns it into action. The Agency was created in 2006 to implement and manage the TEN-T programme on behalf of the European Commission until 31 December 2015. Each TEN-T project is then closely followed and coordinated between the different Member States. This direct management approach has resulted in fewer delays – as shown by the midterm review published today – and more influence on the projects themselves.

For more information about TEN-T, visit



For more information about the Agency, visit



8. Why were European TEN-T coordinators nominated?

In July 2005, the European Commission designated a group of six eminent persons to evaluate progress on certain TEN-T projects and to make recommendations for the effective implementation of these Priority Projects.

Given the success of the European coordinators, the Commission decided in 2007 to nominate two further coordinators for Motorways of the Sea and for inland waterways. In July 2009, the Commission adopted a decision launching a second mandate of four years for all Coordinators, and as of October 2010, nine Coordinators are currently working on the Priority Projects.

The coordinators in charge of specific TEN-T priority projects are:

Pat Cox [PP1: Berlin-Verona/Milan-Bologna-Napoli-Messina-Palermo rail link]

Carlo Secchi [PP3: South-west European high-speed rail link / PP19: High-speed rail interoperability on the Iberian peninsula ]

Laurens Jan Brinkhorst [PP6: Lyon-Trieste-Divača/Koper-Divača-Ljubljana-Budapest-Ukrainian border rail link]

Péter Balázs [PP17: Paris-Strasbourg-Stuttgart-Wien-Bratislava rail link]

Karla Peijs [PP18: Rhine/Meuse-Main-Danube / PP30: Seine–Scheldt]

Luis Valente de Oliveira [PP21: Motorways of the Sea (MoS)]

Gilles Savary [PP22: Athina-Sofia-Budapest-Wien-Praha-Nürnberg/Dresden]

Pavel Telička [PP27: Rail Baltica]

Karel Vinck [The European Rail Traffic Management System (ERTMS)]

The role of the EU Coordinators has proven to be an effective mechanism to address the political sensitivities inherent in cross-border projects and improve coordination. The results of these efforts are confirmed by the fact that so far there have been no cross-border project cancellations in the MAP review project portfolio.

9. Key facts and figures

TEN-T

The EU's 27 Member States dispose of five million km of paved roads, out of which 61,600 km are motorways, 215,400 km of rail lines, out of which 107,400 km electrified, and 41,000 km of navigable inland waterways.

Total investment on transport infrastructure over the period 2000-2006 was €859 billion

For the 2007-2013 period roughly € 8 billion are available in the EU budget for TEN-T.

Mid-term review

The mid-term review covers 92 projects selected under the 2007 calls for proposals

52% of reviewed projects are still set to be finished by the original deadline of 2013

About 32% of projects are expected to be completed within the two years after that.

Approximately about 5% of projects were cancelled or substantially reduced.

More information





IP/10/1391

Annex

Overview of MAP project portfolio

The portfolio consists of 92 projects selected under the 2007 multi-annual calls for proposals. These projects represent a total investment of €32.6 billion of budgeted total eligible costs including €5.3 billion of TEN-T funding.

Graph 1.1 Projects by mode

[pic]

Almost 70% (63 projects) of the project portfolio consists of rail projects with a financial weighting, as measured by the TEN-T funding share of the total portfolio’s funding of 81%. Out of these 63 rail projects 36 are conventional rail projects with a funding share of 37% of the total rail funding in the portfolio. High speed rail lines and their related infrastructures and facilities account for 26 projects, with a funding share of 55% of the total rail funding. The rail portfolio also includes one multimodal project consisting of both rail and road links.

The MAP portfolio includes 17 ERTMS projects with a funding share of 5% of the total TEN-T funding. The portfolio also includes 8 inland waterways (IWW) projects (with a funding share of 12%) and 4 road projects with a funding share of close to 3%.

Graph 1.1 shows that the rail and IWW projects are, on average, bigger (measured by the amount of TEN-T funding) than the road and ERTMS projects. We can also conclude that within the rail portfolio the biggest projects can be found in the group of high speed projects.

Graph 1.2 Projects by Priority Project

[pic]

Table 1.1 List of TEN-T Priority Projects covered by the portfolio reviewed

[pic]

75 projects from the MAP portfolio contribute to the completion of the 21 Priority Projects listed above. Measured by TEN-T funding allocation, the biggest share (€960.1 million) of MAP funding has been allocated to the 5 projects contributing to the completion of PP01 (Railway axis Berlin-Verona/Milano-Bologna-Napoli-Messina-Palermo). €754.5 million has been allocated to 4 projects contributing to the completion of PP06 (Railway axis Lyon-Trieste-Divača/Koper-Divača-Ljubljana-Budapest-Ukrainian border) and €671.9 million has been allocated to 11 projects contributing to the completion of PP03 (High speed railway axis of southwest Europe). These 20 projects, contributing to the completion of the 3 biggest[2] Priority Projects, have received 47% of the total TEN-T funding allocated to Priority Projects within the portfolio.

Graph 1.3 Share of cross-border projects

[pic]

Almost one-quarter of the projects are cross-border projects with a total TEN-T funding of €3.190 billion, representing 60% of the €5.3 billion funding allocated to the MAP portfolio.

[pic]

The biggest funding share (39%) is allocated to 19 projects with a co-financing rate between 20-30%. Almost half of the projects receive a 50% co-financing rate, although their share of the TEN-T funding is only 15%. This is due to the fact that this group of projects consists of studies-only and ERTMS projects which normally tend to be small projects as measured by the initial estimated total budgeted cost.

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[1] Priority Projects are listed in Annex III of the TEN-T Guidelines as amended on 29 April 2004

[2] PP01, PP06 and PP03 are the biggest Priority Projects as measured by overall investment, including Member State investment, TEN-T budget, EIB support, Structural and Cohesion Funds and other funding sources.

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