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ACTIVITIES > Transport
The issues
Throughout its existence as an umbrella organisation representing peripheral and maritime Regions, the CPMR has been focusing on EU policies designed to improve the accessibility of its member Regions and allow them to take greater advantage of the possibilities offered by maritime transport.
Helping to draw up the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-t)
The European Union is keen to introduce a European dimension into transport infrastructure networks. This means improving connections between national networks and providing smoother goods transport flows with a view to helping to complete the internal market.
During the successive TEN-t reviews, the CPMR and its Geographical Commissions have discussed how they wish to see the network improved and have addressed their proposals to the European Commission, European Parliament and Member States.
We are currently in a crucial period gearing up to another TEN-t review. The Spanish Region of Aragon is organising a joint interregional reflection based on the following principles:
We are currently in a crucial period gearing up to another TEN-t review. The Spanish Region of Aragon is organising a joint interregional reflection based on the following principles:
- The European network of course has to provide links between the major economic centres, but it also should improve the accessibility of territories, especially islands and outermost regions, while promoting environmentally friendly modes of transport.
- The Motorways of the Sea need to be introduced in practice so as to offer a credible alternative to the exponential growth of road traffic along the coasts and on mountain crossings.
Promoting a genuine EU maritime transport policy
Motorways of the Sea are just one of the areas of European action aimed at developing shipping as an alternative to road and as a way of reducing carbon emissions generated by freight transport.
There is also a need to improve existing EU instruments such as the Marco Polo programme as well as introducing flexibility into rules that limit public funding for launching shipping lines, which though they might not profitable from a strictly economic point of view, are essential for opening up access to peripheral areas by sea.
We need to find ways of getting polluting modes of transport to contribute towards financing “sustainable” infrastructures and services. Big operators have the means to intervene in EU choices. The CPMR proposes to make the voice of the territories heard in these debates, which are of crucial importance to the people and economic actors of the Regions.
There is also a need to improve existing EU instruments such as the Marco Polo programme as well as introducing flexibility into rules that limit public funding for launching shipping lines, which though they might not profitable from a strictly economic point of view, are essential for opening up access to peripheral areas by sea.
We need to find ways of getting polluting modes of transport to contribute towards financing “sustainable” infrastructures and services. Big operators have the means to intervene in EU choices. The CPMR proposes to make the voice of the territories heard in these debates, which are of crucial importance to the people and economic actors of the Regions.