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<p>The Department for Transport has had, and continues to have, regular communications with the European Commission and with the devolved Administrations on these matters.</p><p>In October 2011 the European Commission published a set of draft regulations for TEN-T and an accompanying Financial Instrument known as the "Connecting Europe Facility" (CEF). Prior to this, and throughout the subsequent negotiations, my Department worked closely with the devolved Administrations to ensure that the UK had a co-ordinated position and to ensure that the outcome aligned as far as possible with the UK's negotiating objectives. Our main objectives included:</p><p>Pressing for indicative targets rather than binding deadlines;</p><p>Ensuring that member states rather than the European Commission remained responsible for transport planning and investment decisions on their national networks;</p><p>Ensuring that no additional financial or administrative burdens should be placed on member states or private sector transport operators; and</p><p>Pressing for Core Corridors and Corridor Coordinators to be optional rather than mandatory, focused on contentious cross-border areas/projects, and with simplified governance and management proposals.</p><p>The CEF contains an indicative list of projects, which is not legally binding. Projects on this list will only receive TEN-T funding if they meet the relevant criteria and project time scales set by the Commission, and if they demonstrate added value to the EU. This will remain a competitive process.</p><p>The development of the TEN-T Core Network is seen as the priority by the Commission. The Corridor is a tool to help implement the development of the Core Network, particularly for co-ordinating cross-border projects. The Department has therefore made no assessment of the routing of the Corridor as the priority is the Core Network.</p> |