Trans-European networks: rules for granting financial aid

The Commission accepted some thirteen amendments made by the European parliament, seven of these being amendments to the recitals. Those amendments accepted include: - a reference to the priority to be given to funding TEN energy; - the reference on the compatibility of financing with the objectives of sustainable mobility; - a reference to the need to increase the transport TEN budget appropriations to cope with the challenges of enlargement; - a more explicit reference to the elimination of bottlenecks; - an advisory committee will be set up instead of a management committee. The Commission did not accept those amendments modifying the scope of the proposal or prejudging its right if initiative: - the request to assess the planning procedure in force in Member States as well as the nature of TEN-T projects cannot be accepted; - the amendment relating to the eligibility conditions for energy projects proceeds form a wrong interpretation of the Regulation in force, as the development phase (before the construction phase) can already benefit from a maximum of 50% support, and is therefore not directly concerned by the proposal; - the reference to support monitoring on TENS-transport is unacceptable. The transport TEN budget will be revised in 2003, when the Parliament will be consulted as usual prior to the adoption of the Commission Decision; - the inclusion of TEN-Telecoms is not accepted; - the setting of inflexible rules leading to the cancellation of TEN-T support if funds are not used within a certain number of years is not always compatible with the life cycle of infrastructure projects.�