Europe at a cross-roads
All of us depend on safe, reliable and sustainable transport to get to work and to deliver the products that in large part determine our lifestyle and welfare. Efficient transport networks are essential for keeping Europe’s economy competitive and its single market running smoothly. With freight volumes doubling by 2020, all modes of transportation are necessary to absorb that growth. The trans-European networks (TEN-T) cover all transport infrastructures which are vital for trade and mobility across the European Union.

Trans-European waterways
All major cross-border waterways are of European interest, but only two waterway projects are priorities in the trans-European transport networks and can obtain a higher rate of EU co-financing:
 Seine-Scheldt linking Paris to Belgium, Netherlands and the western European core waterway network;
 Rhine/Meuse-Main-Danube linking the North Sea to the Black Sea over water.
The ambitions of these waterway projects reach far beyond transport. Apart from enhancing seamless and sustainable logistics, they tackle flood prevention and restoration of the habitat by giving room to the water maximising public benefits.

The river traffic management system RIS also forms part of the trans-European transport network.

Funding headache
The finalisation of the 30 TEN-T projects depends on funds and government coordination. The cost of the priority projects is estimated at EUR 225 billion by 2020. When adding projects of common interest not identified as priority projects, the cost will amount to EUR 600 billion (all in all not more than 0.16% of European GDP). Member States turned down the Commission proposal to spend EUR 20 billion in the period 2007-2013. Support for the trans-European transport network will finally not exceed EUR 8.17 billion, making the leverage of EUR 225 billion in total funds almost impossible. Hopes remain set on the Structural and Cohesion Funds and loans from the European Investment Bank to complete Europe’s transport networks.