Abstract
In order to facilitate European territorial cohesion, the linkage of member states by means of efficient cross-border transport infrastructures and services is an important factor. Many cross-border transport challenges have existed in everyday life. They have hampered smooth passenger and freight flows within the EU. Two EU policies, namely European Territorial Cooperation (ETC) and the Trans-European Transport Networks (TEN-T), promote enhancing cross-border transport through cooperation in soft spaces. This dissertation explores the influence of these two EU policies on cross-border transport and further European integration.
Questions and topics
This dissertation explores the influence of these the two EU policies European Territorial Cooperation (ETC) and the Trans-European Transport Networks (TEN-T) on cross-border transport and further European integration.
Main Results
- The two EU policies support cross-border transport on different levels. They need to be better intertwined in order to make effective use of their complementarities.
- The EU policies have a distinct influence on domestic policy and planning documents of different administrative levels and countries as well as on the practical implementation.
- The final implementation of the EU objectives and the cross- border transport initiatives is strongly influenced by the member states’ initial situations – particularly, the regional and local transport needs.
- The two EU policies cannot remove the entirety of the cross- border transport-related challenges. However, in addition to their financial investments in concrete projects, they promote the importance of cross-border transport and facilitate cooperation, learning and exchange processes. These are all of
- high relevance to cross-border transport development, driven by member states, as well as to further European integration
Recommendations
- Do not enlarge the transport planning competences of the EU in addition to the TEN-T network
- Decentralize further transnational transport development tasks to transnational transport planning committees that are aware of regional needs and can coordinate a joint transport development strategy
- Offer additional EU funds for the implementation of joint transport development strategies (secondary and tertiary connections)
- Improve coordination + cooperation between transnational regions, transport corridors, the two EU policy fields and domestic ministries
- Focus future ETC projects on topics that are of added value for the whole cross-border region or else that can be applied in different territorial contexts
- Enhance the dissemination of project results so that the developed tools can be accessed by potential users and benefits become more visible to a wider society
- Frequently involve transport and spatial planners in transnational projects to increase the relation to planning practice and generate more concrete outputs
- Increase the offer of advanced training regarding planning cultures
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