Waterway projects finally more prominent in trans-European networks
The European Commission selected the trans-European transport projects which will be financed in the period 2007-2013. For the first time, inland waterway projects will receive significant support, with EU co-financing for waterways rising to a share of 11.5% in the total budget in comparison to the poor 1.5% of the previous financing periods. 'Rhine/Meuse-Main-Danube' will receive up to MEUR 190.2, while 'Seine-Scheldt' will receive as much as MEUR 420.19 for cross-border cooperation between Belgium and France. The total requested EU contribution for all priority projects totals BEUR 11.5 billion, clearly confirming that the EU TEN-T budget of BEUR 8 agreed by European Parliament and the Member States is insufficient to fully meet the needs for Community funding.
≡ EU selection of TEN-T projects 2007-2013
≡ EU financial perspectives 2007-2013
≡ EIB and TEN-T

Karla Peijs, TEN-T waterway coordinator
The former Dutch transport minister, Karla Peijs, is the TEN-T coordinator in charge of the 2 inland waterway priority projects of the trans-European transport networks. The coordinator acts in the name of and on behalf of the European Commission and helps to ensure the priority projects are successfully carried out. The first coordinators were appointed in 2005 for a number of railway projects and for the implementation of the European rail traffic management system (ERTMS). They are high-level personalities with proven abilities to mobilise all stakeholders and appropriate funds for cross-border projects. With only 1.5% of the EU TEN-T budget allocated to inland waterways in the period 1994-2004, a dedicated European coordinator can give an important push to remedy the huge maintenance backlog in inland waterways.
≡ Coordinators
≡ State of play TEN-T Projects

Two waterway projects among TEN-T priority projects
For the first time the list of 30 priority infrastructure projects counts two waterway projects. Upgrades for the Rhine/Meuse-Main-Danube corridor create a waterborne link between the North Sea and the Black Sea. Home to 200 million people and crossing 10 countries, it provides an excellent opportunity to keep traffic moving in the west-southeast corridor of increasing trade exchanges. Upgrades on the Seine-Scheldt connection can relieve at least 25% of the heavily congested north-south road corridor between the economic centres, cities and ports of the Benelux and the Paris region
≡ Trans-European Transport Networks
≡ 30 Priority projects