FantasticSearch

OBJECTIVES AND CRITERIA FOR COMMUNITY INFRASTRUCTURE POLICY IN A MEDIUM-TERM PROGRAMME I. OBJECTIVES To coordinate and promote infrastructure projects of Community interest, in order to create a modern and efficient transport network in the Community, designed to meet genuine transport needs arising at the European level on the main Community links. The infrastructure policy shall come within the common transport policy and efforts to increase economic and social cohesion in the Community. Community activity, without prejudice as to the question of whether ports aind airports should be included in the medium-term programme, shall aim at: - the elimination of bottlenecks; - the integration of areas which, geographically, are either landlocked or situated on the periphery of the Community; - the reduction of costs associated with transit traffic in cooperation with any non-member States concerned; - the improvement of links on land/sea routes; - the provision of high-quality links between major urban centres, including high speed rail links. II. CRITERIA

The assessment of transport infrastructure programmes for Community support under the medium-term programme, without prejudice as to the precise form that this should take, shall be based on the following criteria:

(a) the benefit of the project to the Community, assessed by its contribution to the general and operational criteria set out in section I. Among the factors which must be included are: - the importance of present or potential intra-Community international traffic, - the importance of exchanges between the Community and non-member States on the route involved in the project, - the extent of the project's contribution to the creation of an homogenous and balanced network within the Community framework, geared to existing and future transport needs;

(b) the socio-economic return on the project;

(c) whether the project is consistent with other Community measures under the common transport policy or other Community policies, and with other national measures given priority in national transport infrastructure plans and projects.