EU transport ministers have discussed revisions to the guidelines that govern spending on trans-European transport networks infrastructure projects (TEN-T, soon to be renamed the Connecting Europe Facility), but T&E says concerns remain about how the money will be spent and how the environmental impact of projects co-funded by EU money is accounted for.
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The Commission says the TEN-T revisions will promote lower-carbon options such as rail projects, but T&E has warned that projects should be judged on their emissions reduction potential. For example, if a high-speed railway project would be powered from a high-carbon electricity source, then it should not be considered a green option. The TEN-T package includes a number of low-carbon projects, but also 30 airport expansion schemes, and T&E says it does not take into account the wider environmental goals set out in last year’s EU Common Transport Policy. The TEN-T revised spending guidelines still have to be considered by MEPs.
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