A sustainable and resilient transport network bringing Europe closer together

A sustainable and resilient transport network bringing Europe closer together

European Commission — 2024-06-13

News from Brussels

The European Commission welcomes the final adoption of the Regulation underpinning the trans-European transport network (TEN-T) by the European Parliament and the Council. The revised Regulation significantly enhances EU efforts to build a sustainable and resilient network as the backbone of the internal market. This includes strong incentives to promote more sustainable transport modes, advance digitalisation, and improve multimodality – combining various transport modes in a single journey within the European transport system. The Regulation also addresses climate change challenges and military mobility on the TEN-T network.

The revised Regulation sets ambitious targets for European transport infrastructure:

• Rail Travel Speed: By 2040, passenger railway lines on the TEN-T core and extended core network must support trains traveling at speeds of 160 km/h or faster.
• European Rail Traffic Management System (ERTMS): ERTMS will be deployed across the entire TEN-T network as the single European signalling system, enhancing rail safety and efficiency. National legacy 'class B' systems will be phased out, incentivising industry investment in ERTMS.
• Safe and Secure Parking: By 2040, safe and secure parking areas will be developed on the core and extended core road network every 150 km on average, ensuring safety and appropriate working conditions for professional drivers.
• Airport Connectivity: Major airports handling over 12 m passengers annually must be connected by long-distance rail, improving passenger connectivity and making rail a competitive alternative to domestic flights.
• Freight Terminals: The number and capacity of transhipment terminals will be expanded to meet current and projected traffic demands. This includes accommodating 740m trains, promoting the shift to sustainable transport modes, and boosting Europe's combined transport sector.
• Sustainable Urban Mobility Plans: All 432 major cities along the TEN-T network will develop SUMPs to promote zero and low-emission mobility.
• European Maritime Space: The maritime sector will be integrated with other transport modes efficiently and sustainably. Short-sea shipping routes will be upgraded, new routes created, and maritime ports and their hinterland connections further developed. Transport links with neighbouring third countries, including Ukraine, Moldova, and the six Western Balkan partners, will be improved through the new European Transport Corridors.

To ensure timely completion — by 2030 for the core network, 2040 for the extended core network, and 2050 for the comprehensive network — the revised Regulation includes enhanced governance measures. This includes implementing acts for key cross-border sections and specific national sections along the nine European Transport Corridors. Improved alignment between national transport and investment plans and TEN-T objectives will ensure coherent infrastructure and investment priorities.

Next steps

Following formal approval by both co-legislators, the new legislation will enter into force twenty days after its publication in the EU's official journal.