Mandates of the European coordinators in the trans-European transport networks sector renewed

The European Commission, on a proposal from Vice-President Tajani, has just renewed the mandates of six coordinators in the trans-European transport networks sector. With this decision, the Commission confirms the European coordinator solution which has proved to be both effective and decisive for Priority Projects where progress has met with difficulties.

‘The European coordinators have become reference figures, in particular because of their international expertise and their independence. They have a very positive impact on these cross-border projects”, stated Vice-President Tajani, the Commissioner responsible for transport.

For these reasons, the Commission is therefore renewing the mandates of the following coordinators:

• Mr Laurens Jan Brinkhorst, for Priority Project 6 ‘Railway axis Lyon-Trieste-Divac(a/Koper-Divac(a-Ljubljana-Budapest-Ukrainian border’.
• Pavel Telicka, for Priority Project 27 ‘”Rail Baltica” axis: Warsaw-Kaunas-Riga-Tallinn-Helsinki’,
• Karel Vinck for the ERTMS project.
• Karla Peijs for Priority Project 18 ‘Waterway axis Rhine/Meuse-Main-Danube’ and Priority Project 30 ‘Inland waterway Seine-Scheldt’,
• Luís Valente de Oliveira for Priority Project 21 ‘Motorways of the Sea’;
• The Commission has also decided to appoint Carlo Secchi as European coordinator for Priority Projects 3 (‘High-speed railway axis of south-west Europe’) and 19 (‘High-speed rail interoperability in the Iberian Peninsula’). These new mandates take effect today and will expire in July 2013.

The decisions concerning the replacements for Karel van Miert and Péter Balázs will be taken subsequently, under the new legislature of the European Parliament.

‘The tragic death of Karel van Miert has affected me deeply’ said Vice-President Tajani. ‘His successor’s burden will be heavy. Karel van Miert worked hard for the Berlin – Palermo railway project and obtained remarkable results’, Vice-President Tajani stated. ‘We must stay on track and continue his activities on this priority project. A new appointment will be made as soon as possible, after consulting the European Parliament and in agreement with the Member States concerned.’

The same procedure will be applied to replace Péter Balázs, who has become Minister for Foreign Affairs of Hungary and who, until mid-April of this year, was coordinator for Priority Project 17 (‘Railway axis Paris-Wien-Bratislava’).

There is more information on the TEN-T Priority Projects at: http://ec.europa.eu/transport/index_en.htm