Community financial aid in the field of the trans-European transport and energy networks, 2007- 2013

The Commission considers that the Council’s common position alters neither the main aim nor the spirit of its proposal and is therefore able to support it. It welcomes the fact that the common position reflects the state of the interinstitutional negotiations, paving the way for the adoption of this proposal in second reading.

The Commission recalls that the Article concerning the non-cumulation of Community financial aid was deleted. Although the Commission would have preferred that this paragraph had been maintained, it considers that the principle of non-cumulation is not affected. The Commission has produced a declaration on this issue.  It discusses the issue of cumulation of funds and states that, when granting TEN-subsidies, the Commission will check whether the projects have not received funding from the Structural Funds or the Cohesion Fund. After consultation of the Court of Auditors, the Commission will also issue guidelines to Member States on how the different funding instruments can be combined.