Question for written answer
to the Commission
Rule 130
Alfred Sant (S&D)

Subject: Follow up to question E-000996/2017 on boosting transport link projects in EU border and peripheral areas
With regard to the Commission’s answer to question E-000996/17, can the Commission specify:
– How does the Commission intend to boost private investments in transport link projects in EU border and peripheral areas?
– Can the Commission provide figure and data related to the amount of private and public investments in small transport link projects in EU border and peripheral areas by comparison with the amount of those investments supporting the development of core corridors?
– How does the Commission intend to overcome regulatory barriers to the development of infrastructural projects in border regions?

Answer given by Ms Bulc on behalf of the Commission (3.10.2017)
The Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) primarily supports projects on the core TEN-T network. Following the 2016 CEF call, 91% of the CEF transport budget (or EUR 21.3 billion of grants) focused on the core network. It can be roughly estimated that EUR 0.7 billion of the allocated CEF grants concern EU border and peripheral areas. Furthermore, in the 2014-2020 period, EUR 70 billion have been programmed in Cohesion Fund and ERDF support for transport investments, including EUR 34 billion for investments on the TEN-T.

Cross-Border Cooperation (Interreg V-A) under the European Territorial Cooperation goal aims at enhancing the untapped potential of border regions. In 2014-2020, 60 Interreg V-A programmes will be implemented along EU internal borders with an ERDF contribution of some EUR 6.6 billion. Around 11% of the budget, or EUR 728 million, will be invested in transport infrastructure.

The recent Communication [1] addresses the issue of cross-border accessibility. An analysis of existing cross-border rail connections and missing links along EU internal borders is underway. The Commission (via its Border Focal Point) will make good practices available and support Member States in their efforts to develop better quality, more integrated public transport services across borders.

The European Fund for Strategic Investment (EFSI) is financing several transport projects in EU border and peripheral areas. As part of its efforts to enhance the regulatory framework for public and private investment in transport infrastructure, the Commission is currently carrying out an impact assessment [2] to identify the best solutions to streamline procedures and facilitate transport project implementation on the Trans-European Transport Network.

1. Communication from the Commission to the Council and the European Parliament boosting growth and cohesion in EU border regions, COM(2017) 534 final, 20 September 2017
2. http://ec.europa.eu/info/law/better-regulation/initiatives/ares-2017-3272163_en

E-004597/2017

Suġġett: Spinta lill-proġetti ta’ konnessjoni tat-trasport fiż-żoni tal-fruntiera u f’dawk periferali tal-UE – segwitu għall-Mistoqsija bil-Miktub E-000996/2017
Rigward it-tweġiba tagħha għall-Mistoqsija bil-Miktub E-000996/2017, il-Kummissjoni hija mitluba twieġeb għal dan li ġej:
– Kif biħsiebha tagħti spinta lill-investiment privat fi proġetti ta’ konnessjoni tat-trasport fiż-żoni tal-fruntiera u f’dawk periferali tal-UE?
– Tista’ tipprovdi figuri u data li jqabblu l-ammont ta’ investiment privat u pubbliku fi proġetti ta’ konnessjoni tat-trasport żgħar fiż-żoni tal-fruntiera u f’dawk periferali tal-UE mal-ammont ta’ investiment fl-iżvilupp tal-kurituri ewlenin?
– Kif biħsiebha tegħleb l-ostakoli regolatorji għall-iżvilupp ta’ proġetti infrastrutturali fir-reġjuni tal-fruntieri?

Tweġiba tas-Sinjura Bulc f’isem il-Kummissjoni (3.10.2017)
Il-Faċilità Nikkollegaw l-Ewropa tappoġġa b’mod ewlieni l-proġetti tan-netwerk ewlieni tan-Netwerk trans-Ewropew tat-trasport (it-TEN-T). Wara s-sejħa tal-Faċilità Nikkollegaw l-Ewropa li nħarġet fl-2016, 91 % mill-baġit tat-trasport ta’ din il-Faċilità (jiġifieri għotjiet ta’ EUR 21.3 biljun) ġie allokat għan-netwerk ewlieni. Jista’ jiġi stmat li, mill-għotjiet tal-Faċilità Nikkollegaw l-Ewropa li ġew allokati, bejn wieħed u ieħor EUR 0.7 biljun ingħataw għal żoni tal-fruntieri u għal żoni periferali tal-UE. Barra minn hekk, għall-perjodu ta’ bejn l-2014 u l-2020, ġew allokati EUR 70 biljun mill-fondi ta’ koeżjoni u mill-FEŻR għall-investimenti fil-qasam tat-trasport, li jinkludu EUR 34 biljun li ġew allokati għall-investimenti fit-TEN-T.

Il-kooperazzjoni transkonfinali (fil-kuntest tal-“Interreg V-A”), li ssir fil-qafas tal-għan ta’ kooperazzjoni territorjali Ewropea, għandha l-għan li ssaħħaħ il-potenzjal li għadu mhux sfruttat tar-reġjuni tal-fruntieri. Bejn l-2014 u l-2020 se jiġu implimentati sittin programm tul il-fruntieri interni tal-UE fil-kuntest tal-“Interreg V-A”, li għalihom b’kollox se jingħataw madwar EUR 6.6 biljun mill-FEŻR. Madwar 11 % tal-baġit, jiġifieri EUR 728 miljun, se jmorru għall-infrastruttura tat-trasport.

Il-Komunikazzjoni li nħarġet dan l-aħħar [1] tittratta l-kwistjoni tal-aċċessibbiltà transfruntiera. Bħalissa qed titwettaq analiżi tal-konnessjonijiet ferrovjarji transkonfinali eżistenti tul il-fruntieri interni tal-UE u ta’ dawk li huma neqsin tul l-istess fruntieri. Permezz tal-Punt Fokali tal-Fruntieri tagħha, il-Kummissjoni se tqiegħed l-aħjar prattiki għad-dispożizzjoni tal-Istati Membri u se tgħinhom fl-isforzi tagħhom biex jiżviluppaw servizzi transkonfinali tat-trasport pubbliku ta’ kwalità aħjar u li jkunu iktar integrati.

Il-Fond Ewropew għall-Investimenti Strateġiċi (l-FEIS) qed jiffinanzja diversi proġetti tat-trasport fiż-żoni tal-fruntieri u fiż-żoni periferali tal-UE. Bħala parti mill-isforzi tagħha biex ittejjeb il-qafas regolatorju għall-investimenti fl-infrastruttura tat-trasport mis-settur pubbliku u minn dak privat, bħalissa l-Kummissjoni qed twettaq valutazzjoni tal-impatt [2] biex tidentifika l-aħjar soluzzjonijiet biex tissimplifika l-proċeduri u biex tiffaċilita l-implimentazzjoni tal-proġetti fil-qasam tat-trasport li qed isiru b’rabta mat-TEN-T.

1. Il-Komunikazzjoni tal-Kummissjoni lill-Kunsill u lill-Parlament Ewropew tal-20 ta’ Settembru 2017 “Spinta lit-tkabbir u l-koeżjoni fir-reġjuni tal-fruntieri tal-UE” (COM(2017) 534 final).
2. http://ec.europa.eu/info/law/better-regulation/initiatives/ares-2017-3272163_mt.

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