In a bid to boost connectivity and economic growth in the Eastern Partnership (EaP) countries, the European Commission and the World Bank have co-authored an “Indicative trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T) Investment Action Plan” that identifies priority projects in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine.
The projects will require an estimated cumulative investment of almost €13 billion and foresee a total of 4,800 kilometres of road and rail, 6 ports and 11 logistics centres.
Johannes Hahn, the European Commissioner responsible for European Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations, underlined that the completion of the Indicative TEN-T Investment Action Plan is a joint commitment to deliver tangible results for citizens across the region.
“The Plan will assist decision-makers in prioritising strategic investments in transport infrastructure with the aim of completing the TEN-T network defined as one of the 20 deliverables for 2020 in the Joint Declaration of the last Eastern Partnership Summit in Brussels,” – he added.
The projects included in the investment plan were identified together with the Eastern Partnership countries and with the assistance of international financial institutions.
Those projects will make possible the construction and rehabilitation of new and existing roads, railways, ports and airports, as well as logistical centres and border crossing points.
The priority investments include both short-term projects to be completed by 2020 and long-term projects aiming to improve transport links on the TEN-T by 2030.
The completion of the Indicative Investment Action Plan coincides with the entry into force of the extension of the core TEN-T to the Eastern Partnership region.
17.01.2019
