COUNCIL AND EP REACH AGREEMENT ON TEN-T
On 18 December, negotiators of the European Parliament and the Council reached a provisional agreement on a revised Regulation concerning EU guidelines for the development of the trans-European transport network (TEN-T). The new legislation aims to build a reliable, seamless, and high-quality transport network that ensures sustainable connectivity across Europe without physical interruptions, bottlenecks, and missing links.
The co-legislators retained the scope outlined in the Commission's proposal and set clear deadlines for the completion of the three-layered TEN-T network: the core network by 2030, the extended core network by 2040, and the comprehensive network by 2050. The provisional agreement includes provisions for deploying the European rail traffic management system (ERTMS), transitioning to the European standard nominal track gauge, and increasing the number of 740-meter-long freight trains.
Parliament and the Council also agreed on the deployment of safe and secure parking areas on the core and extended core network to guarantee better working conditions and rest for professional drivers. Such areas will be deployed within an average maximum distance of 150 km on the core and the extended core network.
While the provisional agreement is an important step reached, work on the revised Regulation will continue at the technical level under the Belgian Presidency before Parliament and the Council can formally approve it.
Source: Council of the EU