The Commission is asking for countries to apply for grants to build European transport infrastructure.

It is making nearly €1 billion available for trans-European transport networks, half of which has been brought forward under an emergency 'European Economic Recovery Plan' resulting from the current economic downturn. The EU transport commissioner Antonio Tajani said: 'I am convinced that stimulating economic demand with an ambitious programme of European infrastructure is one of the most tangible and efficient responses we can give to today's economic crisis – this programme is TEN-T.'