Verhoeven (ESPO): the terrestrial connections with the European ports, included those street ones, would have to be able to receive subsidies until 40% of the permissible costs



In spite of the economic crisis Core Network of the transeuropea net of the transports TRIES must be realized in the which predetermined times and the EU commission would have to have of the instruments in order to do so as that the States EU respect such expirations. The general secretary of the European Sea Ports Organisation (ESPO has declared this morning), Patrick Verhoeven, in occasion of the fourth edition of the event "TRIES Days", than he carries out himself today and tomorrow to Antwerp. The objective of the conference in the Belgian city, to which they participate beyond 700 delegates, is in fact that to discuss the proposed new last month introduced from the EU commission on the guidelines and on the picture financial for the transeuropea net of the transports IT TRY ( on 19 October 2011).

Verhoeven has confirmed the support expressed from ESPO to the proposed new of the Commission and, in particular, to the opportunity offered to the European ports to strengthen their role of multimodali gateways. Moreover ESPO second shares the opinion of the EU commission which "Cores Network", that is the main net TRY, must be developed priority within 2030, while the total net - so-called "the comprehensive Network" - must be realized within 2050.

"We have particularly appreciated - Verhoeven has explained - the conviction that within these expirations the ports of both the Networks must have adequate connections with the outback". "We are aware - it has continued the ESPO general secretary - than the current economic crisis will return such enterprise much committal, but this would not have to be a reason in order to limit the ambitions. The Commission - it has emphasized - must have the instruments necessary in order to assure that the Member States and the others you leave interested respect the fixed expirations. Moreover, in the picture of Connecting Europe Facility (the plan of investments for 50 billion euros introduced from the EU commission for the potenziamento of the European nets of transport, energetic and digital, ndr), the terrestrial connections with the ports, included those street ones, would have to have right to receive subsidies until 40% of the permissible costs, analogous to how much it happens for the transboundary projects".

Vice versa Verhoeven has expressed regret because "the Commission has not picked the occasion of the review of the net TRIES in order to propose finalized measures to reach a better integration of the objectives of politics of the transports and the atmosphere". "This - it has explained - could be achieved for example recognizing that the projects that have obtained the status of "common interest" are of "important public interest". In any case - it has added - the lines guide of TRY would have to include the procedures accelerated previewed for such projects, to the aim to answer in efficient way to the appraisals of environmental character and other type".

ESPO has recommended also to return the criteria and the methodology of selection of the ports that take part of Core Network integral part of the guidelines TRIES and to reexamine the planning and the tempistica of the multimodali corridors that will serve as instrument in order to implement such main net. Moreover, second the association of the European ports, the comprehensive Network of the ports would have to be more including possible and would have to include at least those ports that currently take part of the net TRY.

At last, regarding financings available, ESPO one has wondered if, in the within of the program Connecting Europe Facility, the amount of 31,7 billion euros of investments will be sufficient that the EU commission previews to assign to the modernization of European infrastructures of transport let alone in order to realize the lacking connections and in order to eliminate the throttlings, since - the association has remembered - for the completion of the total net IT TRY is estimated necessary a sum of 500 billion euros within 2020, of which 250 billion destined to complete the lacking connections and to eliminate the necks of bottle of the main net. If on one side the European Sea Ports Organisation considers that the public-private partnerships and the new instruments of financing can be of aid, from the other the association deems that the governments would have in any case to continue to assume their responsibilities in financing the infrastructures of base transport.