Trafikudvalget 2009-10
KOM (2010) 0212 Bilag 1
Offentligt
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Udkast
European Commission
DG Move
Date
August 19, 2010
International Division
Response from the Danish Government
to the Commission Working Document:
Consultation on the Future Trans-European Transport Network
Policy (COM (2010) 212)
The Danish Government considers the development of the trans-European
transport networks (TEN-T) to be a very important element in the contribution
from the transport sector to the general economic development within the
European Union and in particular to the realization of the Internal Market. The
networks also play an important role in responding to environmental and
climate change challenges and have further potential in this regard.
Since the mid nineties the concept of trans-European transport networks has
provided an essential contribution to the realisation of major infrastructure
projects across the European Union. A successful example of this is the Fixed
Link across Oresund, which was opened in 2000 and now is a decisive element
in the integration of the Copenhagen-Malmo region across Oresund.
Priority project no. 20 (railway corridor between Oresund and Hamburg –
(Hannover) including a fixed road and railway link across the Fehmarn Belt)
also shows that the present legal framework has worked well. Based on a treaty
signed by Denmark and Germany in September 2008, the work on design and
construction of the Fixed Link across the Fehmarn Belt is now ongoing. The
project is scheduled to be finalised in 2018, including the railway connections
in the hinterland of the Fixed Link. This means that the major part of the
expected increase of goods transport between Scandinavia and the European
Continent can be by rail within the framework of TEN-T.
The Danish Government believes that the concept of trans-European transport
networks should continue as an essential element in the development of key
transport infrastructure within the European Union, along with national plans
for transport infrastructure. It is important that member states still have the
flexibility to set their national priorities.
The Danish Government supported option 3 from the Commission’s Green
Paper, a two layer-model with a comprehensive network, a core network based
on priority projects and an instrument for defining new priority projects. Hence
the Danish Government welcomes that this option is the starting point for
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further elaborations on the future guidelines for the trans-European transport
networks in the Commission’s consultation paper.
The Danish Government agrees that the current priority projects should serve
as the basis for the (coming) core networks, and that any future financial
regulation makes sure that these projects can be funded as planned.
It is the view of the Danish Government that the development and the
application of intelligent transport systems (ITS) should play a significant role
within all transport modes in the future TEN-T policy. Therefore, the Danish
position is in line with the working document’s emphasis on ITS.
As far as the concept of ‘Motorways of the Sea’ is concerned, the Danish
Government underlines the need for continued focus on general infrastructure
investments when funding specific projects.
The further development of the TEN-T policy should focus on the interaction
between the transport modes (co-modality), including ports. This calls for
optimising access from the seaside to ports and hinterland rail and road
connections to/from the ports. Inland waterways must be taken into account
where appropriate. Finally, the efficiency of ports must be seen as an important
contributor to the development of the competitiveness of short sea shipping.
The Danish Government has a positive view of the proposed merging of the
financial regulation and the TEN-T-guidelines into one instrument in order to
create a more coherent structure.
In case the role of the European coordinators is to be increased to include also
smaller infrastructure projects, the Danish Government considers it to be of
importance that it is still up to the member states to decide whether or not a
European coordinator should be affiliated the respective project.
Side 2/2