Rhine-Alpine Corridor

CEF support to Rhine-Alpine Corridor - May 2020

CEF support to Rhine-Alpine Corridor - April 2018

Overview

The Rhine-Alpine Corridor constitutes one of the busiest freight routes in Europe. It connects key North Sea ports of Belgium and the Netherlands with the Mediterranean port of Genoa. The regions it encompasses count among the most densely populated and economically strong in Europe. Altogether, more than 70 million people live, work and consume in the catchment area of the Rhine-Alpine Corridor, which is also home to a number of leading manufacturing and trading companies, production plants and distribution centres. The corridor runs through the so-called “Blue banana”, which includes major EU economic centres such as Brussels and Antwerp in Belgium, the Randstad region in the Netherlands, the German Rhine-Ruhr and Rhine-Neckar regions, the Basel and Zürich regions in Switzerland and the Milano and Genoa regions in Northern Italy. This multimodal corridor incorporates the Rhine River as the key inland waterway in Europe, as well as important tunnelling projects in Switzerland, including the world’s longest and deepest rail tunnel, the Gotthard Base tunnel.

Main bottlenecks and missing links

The Rhine-Alpine is a mature corridor and as such, does not have major missing links. Rather, the main challenges for the corridor constitute bottlenecks emanating from increased traffic flows. The main bottlenecks exist in Germany and Italy where capacity upgrades are required. A better connection between the Belgian and Dutch networks with the German network is needed, particularly between Emmerich and Oberhausen. In addition, the access routes to the Swiss tunnels in EU territory (Karlsruhe - Basel and Swiss border - Milan/Novara) need to swiftly progress, as the Gotthard and Monte Ceneri tunnels will create a flat trajectory for rail freight through the ecologically sensitive Alps as of 2019/20. Capacity upgrades as well as better multimodal connections in the ports are also necessary.

Success stories

The Gotthard Base Tunnel, situated beneath the Swiss Alps, opened on 1 June 2016. With a route length of 57 km, the Gotthard Base Tunnel is the world’s longest and deepest rail tunnel and – together with Lötschberg and Ceneri Base tunnels - represents a significant step towards increasing the competitiveness of rail for the transport of goods and passengers on the corridor. With the upcoming completion of the New Rail Link through the Alps programme, the journey time from Zurich to Milan will be cut by an hour by 2020.

The Betuwe Line is a 143 km long, two-track railroad dedicated to freight, linking Rotterdam harbour to the German border. It was put into service in June 2007. Since then, traffic on the Betuwe Line has increased and is expected to increase yet further thanks to the completion of the Maasvlakte 2 project, which will see a significant increase in freight traffic to and from the Port of Rotterdam.

CEF: Pre-identified projects

Connecting Europe Express meets European Year of Rail in Paris, 7 October2021

After 36 days of journey across Europe, the Connecting Europe Express reached its final destination in Paris. As part of the European Coordinators’ delegation, prof. Paweł Wojciechowski participated in the closing ceremony. A welcoming delegation included Mr Jean-Pierre FARANDOU, Chairman of SNCF, Mr Clément BEAUNE, French Secretary of State for European Affairs and Mr Jean-Baptiste DJEBBARI, France’s Deputy Minister for Transport. Prior to the arrival of the train to Paris, prof. Wojciechowski and other European Coordinators took part in the meeting Mr Henrik Hololei, the Director General for Mobility and Transport in the European Commission to share their lessons learnt from the Connecting Europe Express journey.

European Coordinators’ seminar in Strasbourg, 6 October 2021

Prof. Paweł Wojciechowski was part of the high-level delegation that welcomed the Connecting Europe Express in Strasbourg. Later that day, he participated in the seminar of the European Coordinators, which took place in the presence of the Head of Cabinet of Ms Adina Vălean, the Commissioner for Transport. The participants exchanged views on the ongoing revision of the TEN-T and reflected on the key directions of the proposed modifications. On the margins of the seminar, prof. Wojciechowski together with relevant European Coordinators met Mr Jean Rottner, the President of the Grand Est Region Council, France, to deliberate on certain railway projects of regional importance.

Connecting Europe Express meets European Year of Rail, Amsterdam – Antwerp - Brussels, 4 October 2021

Prof. Paweł Wojciechowski presided over the workshop organised by the Rail Cargo information Netherland, which was titled ‘A wake-up call for the rail freight’. The event featured speakers from the Dutch rail transport sector, such as: Ms Jessica vd Bosch, Director at Prorail, Mr Steven Lak, Chair of the Dutch Railfreight Taskforce and Ms Caroline Koiter, Director at the Rail Cargo Information Netherlands. The discussions evolved around key challenges and opportunities for the rail freight in Europe and featured best practises from the sector.

In Antwerp, Coordinator Wojciechowski participated in the onsite event focusing on ambitions for railways and rail freight in Belgium. During the seminar on board of the Connecting Europe Express (CEE) between Antwerp and Brussels, prof. Wojciechowski delivered a keynote speech on hinterland connections to the ports of the North Sea in the Rhine-Alpine Corridor. The journey on this section of the CEE train provided a good opportunity to exchange briefly with the Belgium’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Mobility, M. Georges Gilkinet, on the role that the country’s railway plays in the Rhine-Alpine Corridor. At the end of the day, prof. Wojciechowski participated in the conference at the Train World Museum, which involved such speakers as Ms Adina Vãlean, the European Commissioner for Transport, Mr Georges Gilkinet, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Mobility, and Ms Sophie Dutordoir, the CEO of SNCB.

Connecting Europe Express meets European Year of Rail, Amsterdam, 3 October 2021

During the stopover of the Connecting Europe Express in Amsterdam, prof. Paweł Wojciechowski together with prof. Kurt Bodewig, the European Coordinator for the Motorways of the Sea, took part in the seminar organised by the Dutch railway infrastructure manager that was devoted to the challenges of the rail freight transport in Europe. The seminar has been followed by a high-level working dinner hosted by the City of Amsterdam, with participation - among others - of Mr W. Goetz, Head of Cabinet of Ms Adina Vălean, the Commissioner for Transport, Mr Steven van Weyenberg, State Secretary of the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management, and Mrs Marjan Rintel, CEO of the Nederlandse Spoorwegen. During the meeting participants reflected, among others, on the role of railways as the key mode of passenger transport for short to medium distances.

Connecting Europe Express meets European Year of Rail, Basel – Karlsruhe – Frankfurt, 28 September 2021

Prof. Paweł Wojciechowski visited the Basel Container Terminal, where he participated in the event that focused on the freight transport in Europe and the latest developments in this regard implemented by the Swiss operators. Among others, the participants tested in reality the functioning of the digital automatic coupling of the rolling stock in a freight train. At the main railway station in Basel, Coordinator Wojciechowski together with Mr Herald Ruijters, Director for Investment, Innovative and Sustainable Transport in DG MOVE, have welcomed the members of the Forum Train Europe on board of the Connecting Europe Express and exchanged views on the situation of the rail transport in Europe.

Moreover, prof. Paweł Wojciechowski presided over the seminar focusing on characteristics and governance of the Rhine-Alpine Corridor. The event was organised by the Interregional Alliance for the Rhine-Alpine Corridor EGTC and it took place on board the Connecting Europe Express (CEE) train, along the Basel-Karlsruhe-Frankfurt section. The participants have become familiar with the various governance models in the Corridor and they overviewed the results of the RAISE IT project managed by the Rhine-Alpine Corridor EGTC. During the CEE train stopovers in Karlsruhe and Frankfurt am Main, prof. P. Wojciechowski participated in the onsite events organised by the Deutsche Bahn and the respective regional authorities. In Karlsruhe, the Coordinator was among the keynote speakers and reflected on the location of the city at the intersection of two core network corridors. The event in Frankfurt was an opportunity to consider the railway development plans in the city.

Connecting Europe Express meets European Year of Rail, Milan and Genoa, 7 September 2021

On 7 September, the Connecting Europe Express travelled along the southern part of the Rhine-Alpine Corridor heading from Milan to Genoa. On board of the train, prof. P. Wojciechowski chaired the seminar organized by the Liguria region, which was titled “The Ligurian part of the Rhine Alpine Corridor – restart, development, resilience”. The seminar provided a unique opportunity to reflect on the progress achieved in TEN-T development along the southern part of the Rhine-Alpine Corridor so far, while considering challenges that need to be overcome to ensure an effective and uninterrupted transportation of goods and voyage of passengers along the Corridor. In particular, the participants were updated on the progress made on the Terzo Valico dei Giovi railway line and became familiar with the latest investments in the Port of Genoa. On the margins of the Connecting Europe Express, the Coordinator met high-level representatives of the Liguria Region, including councillors Andrea Benveduti and Gianni Berrino, as well as the president of the Genoa Port Authority, Mr P. E. Signorini, to discuss the latest developments in terms of the transport infrastructure in the region and in the Port of Genoa.

Virtual meeting with theDirector of the Interregional Alliance for the Rhine-Alpine Corridor EGTC, 7 July 2021

Prof. Paweł Wojciechowski met Mr Jörg Saalbach, the Director of the Interregional Alliance for the Rhine-Alpine Corridor EGTC, to exchange on the further close cooperation within the framework of the Rhine-Alpine Corridor. The discussion evolved around the communication strategy to increase the visibility the Rhine-Alpine Corridor EGTC for other core network TEN-T Corridors. The idea of greening the Rhine-Alpine Corridor has also been mentioned.

Virtual meeting with the members of the EGTC “Rhine-Alpine Corridor”, 25 June 2021

Prof. Paweł Wojciechowski participated in the ninth edition of the EGTC Rhine Alpine Corridor Talks, which focused, this time, on strengthening of the rail transport in the Corridor. The Coordinator delivered a keynote speech, which addressed opportunities and challenges for the Corridor’s rail transport resulting from the Smart and Sustainable Mobility Strategy and the European Year of Rail (2021). The Coordinator underlined, inter alia, the role of digitalisation and innovation in improving efficiency and increasing capacity of the rail transport in the Corridor.

Virtual meeting of the Rhine-Alpine Working Group, 18 June 2021

Prof. Paweł Wojciechowski chaired the Rhine-Alpine Corridor working group that was dedicated to an overview of the Corridor projects. The participants have become familiar with the status quo of the implementation of the projects in the Corridor and gathered knowledge on the progress of two major cross-border projects between Germany and Switzerland on the one hand, and between Switzerland and Italy on the other hand. The Coordinator noted a steady progress on the Corridor and praised the engagement of the stakeholders in the projects’ implementation so far. In the discussion, a continued work on the existing challenges in order to make the Corridor fit for digital and sustainable future was stressed.

Virtual meeting with A. Mazzola, CER Executive Director, 16 June 2021

Prof. Paweł Wojciechowski together with other European Coordinators for the core network corridors (I. Aayala-Sender, A. Jensen, C. Trautmann, C. Secchi and M. Grosch) met A. Mazzola, CER Executive Director, to discuss the areas of enhanced future cooperation to promote rail transport sector. The exchange focused on the goals set for rail in the Smart and Sustainable Mobility Strategy and the upcoming revision of the TEN-T Regulation as an important instrument of implementation of the EU transport policy. Participants addressed the need for stronger coordination between the investments carried out within the Core Network Corridors and the operational measures undertaken within the Rail Freight Corridors to achieve optimal results for the rail transport sector.

European Coordinators’ virtual seminar, 9 June 2021

Prof. Wojciechowski participated in the Coordinators’ seminar, which dealt with financing of the projects on the TEN-T network. Participants explored preliminary options to ensure that the new TEN-T Guidelines are consistent with the “do no significant harm” principle and addressed the issue of sustainable proofing of TEN-T infrastructure. They also examined sustainable finance for the transport sector including promoting transport investment based on an EU infrastructure asset class.

European Coordinators’ virtual seminar,1 June 2021

Prof. Wojciechowski participated in the Coordinators’ seminar targeting the Motorways of the Sea and inland waterways. Discussion evolved around current provisions for both modes of transport in the TEN-T regulation and the results of the consultations conducted with stakeholders. The participants considered the ideas to simplify and expand the concept of Motorways of the Sea into a Maritime Space concept and to better integrate the maritime sector in a sustainable way into TEN-T network development. They also reflected on the possibilities to enhance the inland waterways dimension in the TEN-T policy to ensure good navigation status and better resilience of the sector to the climate changes.

European Coordinators’ virtual seminar, 11 May 2021

Prof. Wojciechowski participated in the Coordinators’ seminar, which examined the subject of alternative fuels and transport digitalisation within the framework of the TEN-T revision.

The discussion concentrated on the status of development of alternative fuels infrastructure and intelligent transport systems (ITS) across Member States. Participants underlined the importance of both components for the achievement of the European Green Deal objectives for transport. In this context, they considered various options to deploy both alternative fuels and ITS in a more coherent and efficient way throughout the EU.

Hearing in the EP TRAN Committee, 10 May 2021

Prof. Wojciechowski together with European Coordinators Iveta Radičová (Mediterranean) and Mathieu Grosch (Orient - East Med) presented the main findings of the fourth Work Plans for the respective corridors and provided an update on the implementation of the core network corridors. The meeting was also a good opportunity to share with the European Parliament experiences and key challenges encountered by the Coordinators during the Corridors’ implementation that could be addressed within in the TEN-T revision. In this context, Prof. Wojciechowski focused on certain aspects of the core network corridors’ governance.

European Coordinators’ virtual seminar, 20 April 2021

Prof. Wojciechowski participated in Coordinators’ seminar that was dedicated to technical standards for road and rail infrastructure, including ERTMS, as part of the revision of the TEN-T. Participants underlined the advantages of possible integration of core network corridors with rail freight corridors to obtain a more coherent set of European Transport Corridors and to merge both the infrastructural and operational dimension of the corridors. The Coordinators considered, among other things, a minimum speed limit for the passenger rail transport and standards for the comprehensive network with possible new mid-term deadline. In addition, the definitions of roads in the TEN-T Regulation have been scrutinised and participants had a closer look at standards applied to the TEN-T tunnels, trucks’ weight and dimensions, as well as shortage of infrastructure for safe and secure parking places for trucks. Several Coordinators emphasized the need to reflect on the infrastructure maintenance in the revision of the TEN-T.

European Coordinators’ virtual seminar, 13 April 2021

Prof. Wojciechowski participated in the Coordinators’ seminar, which focused on the issue of extension of the TEN-T to third countries. The Coordinators discussed possible options of enhanced cooperation with third countries to ensure more effective implementation of the TEN-T policy beyond the EU and they reflected on the potential to expand their mandates to encompass transport infrastructure in these countries. The Coordinators highlighted diverse character of the third countries and emphasized that an enhanced cooperation with those countries should encompass structural dialog established on strong legal and financial basis.

Rhine-Alpine Corridor Forum, 22 March 2021

Prof. P. Wojciechowski chaired the 15th Corridor Forum Meeting of the Rhine-Alpine Core Network Corridor, which gathered some 60 participants representing various stakeholders from the Corridor. The Coordinator updated Members of the Forum on the state of play of the TEN-T revision and he drew their attention to the recently adopted CEF II regulation. The Forum focused on the state of play of the Rhine-Alpine Corridor study update, Corridor’s projects co-financed from the CEF instrument so far and on the future financing opportunities for transport within the 2021-2027 EU budgetary perspective. Members of the Forum discussed, inter alia, the idea of holding joint working group meetings for the rail freight and core network corridors in the future, investigated the possibility of having a key performance indicator (KPI) for international coordination quality and considered the notion of greening the Rhine-Alpine Corridor as the main priority.

European Coordinators’ virtual seminar, 19 March 2021

Prof. P. Wojciechowski participated in the Coordinators’ seminar, which addressed the issue of urban nodes within the TEN-T policy. The Coordinators underlined limitations of the current TEN-T policy in terms of urban nodes, which should have a more predominant role especially in the context of the Green Deal objectives. They agreed that urban nodes could receive more attention within each Corridor, including through the creation of a working group on urban nodes and through a dedicated section in the Corridor Work Plans. The participants also investigated the idea of including a more complete list of urban nodes in the revised TEN-T.

European Coordinators’ virtual seminar, 9 March 2021

Prof. P. Wojciechowski participated in the Coordinators’ seminar dealing with governance of the TEN-T and core network corridors. The discussion evolved around various possibilities for strengthening the role of the European Coordinators in implementation of the corridors and the

TEN-T network. A better coordination between national investment plans and the corridor work plans has been mentioned as a viable way forward.

Virtual meeting with the members of the EGTC “Rhine-Alpine”, 4 February 2021

Prof. P. Wojciechowski addressed participants of the virtual meeting, presenting the EU Funding possibilities for the Rhine-Alpine Corridor development, focusing primarily on the CEF II instrument, the InvestEU, as well as the Recovery and Resilience Facility. The Coordinator underlined the importance of joint commitment from both national and regional authorities to achieve the EU Green Deal goals through projects implemented along the core network corridors.

The Eurodelta Corridor Summit, 4 February 2021

The Summit gathering governments, policymakers, entrepreneurs, ports, transporters and scientists featured an interview with prof. P. Wojciechowski, along with the interviews with regional transport ministers of the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany. The Coordinator referred to the new European Green Deal and the Strategy for Sustainable and Smart Mobility as key political documents shaping the future European transport. He emphasized the opportunities for the Rhine-Alpine Corridor resulting from this new political context and encouraged participants to be actively involved in developing new services and technologies for sustainable and smart mobility.

European Coordinators’ virtual seminar, 2 February 2021

Prof. P. Wojciechowski participated in the Coordinators’ seminar, which was devoted to the revision of the TEN-T Regulation. The objective was to collect initial reactions of the Coordinators on the principles that should guide this revision. The exchange of views focused on target dates for the completion of the TEN-T networks (2030/2050) and possible alignment of the Rail Freight Corridors with the Core Network Corridors. The role and functionality of the urban nodes on both the core and comprehensive networks has been considered and the TEN-T standards have been evaluated.

FIBRE virtual conference on Transport Development Strategies and Logistics, 16 December 2020

Paweł Wojciechowski addressed the participants of the conference, presenting the recent developments and the future of inland waterways on the Rhine-Alpine corridor. He referred to the importance of the mode, in view of the objectives of the European Green Deal, in line with the recently adopted Sustainable and Smart Mobility Strategy.

European Coordinators’ virtual seminar, 25 November 2020

Paweł Wojciechowski participated in the Coordinators’ seminar, which focused on the review and revision of the TEN-T Regulation and on the Recovery & Resilience Facility.

Virtual Working Group on the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on transport; 5 November 2020

Paweł Wojciechowski chaired the Working Group meeting, which gathered stakeholders from the rail, inland waterway and logistics sectors. Corridor consultants gave a general presentation on the influence of the pandemic on transport flows on the corridor. Other presentations focused on specific impact on intermodality, on public transport and on supply chains. Participants discussed the need for strategic changes in the development of the Rhine-Alpine corridor, in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Conference on intermodality, digitization and green technology in the Ports of Genoa; 29 October 2020

The conference featured an interview between Paweł Wojciechowski, the European Coordinator and Paolo Emilio Signorini, the President of the Ports of Genoa. The Coordinator underlined the importance of making the ports of Genoa and Savona true corridor gateways on the Mediterranean. In this regard, he called for a timely completion of the key rail projects, which would improve the sustainability of hinterland connections from the ports. The two also discussed funding opportunities under the new CEF, the Next Generation EU and the Recovery and Resilience Facility.

European Coordinators’ virtual seminar, 19 October 2020

Paweł Wojciechowski participated in the Coordinators’ seminar, focused on the latest state of play with regard to Next Generation EU and the Recovery & Resilience Facility. The Coordinators discussed how the instrument could be used in the context of the implementation of the TEN-T network.

European Coordinators’ virtual seminar, 22 September 2020

Paweł Wojciechowski participated in the Coordinators’ seminar, focused on rail-related matters. Former European Coordinator for ERTMS Karel Vinck and former Ambassador of Belgium Jan Grauls presented the initiative "Europalia - European Year of Rail 2021", which foresees a series of events, campaigns and initiatives that will promote rail as a sustainable, innovative and safe mode of transport. Elisabeth Werner, Director for Land Transport at DG MOVE provided an overview of the Commission’s rail policy and the upcoming initiatives, including the revision of the Rail Freight Corridors Regulation. The Coordinators discussed relevant projects on their Corridors. They exchanged views on how they can best support the European Year of Rail initiative.

Ministerial meeting on the opening of the Ceneri base tunnel, Locarno 3 September 2020

Paweł Wojciechowski represented the European Commission at the ministerial meeting of the Alpine countries, organized on the eve of the opening of the Monte Ceneri base tunnel. Ministers underlined the need to promote modal shift to rail, referring to the objectives of the European Green Deal. The Coordinator in his speech underlined the importance of the TEN-T policy and of its financial arm – CEF, referring to projects such as Karlsruhe-Basel and Chiasso-Milan. He also took part in the press conference on the tunnel site.

Virtual meeting with representatives of Member State of the Rhine-Alpine and North Sea – Mediterranean corridors on impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic, 2 July 2020

Paweł Wojciechowski and Péter Balázs invited the representatives from Member State of both corridors to exchange information on the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on transport flows and the implementation of projects. At the meeting, the Commission gave an overview of the EU initiatives relevant for transport and transport infrastructure in response to the COVID-19 crisis.

Virtual meeting with the members of the EGTC “Rhine-Alpine”, 19 June 2020

Paweł Wojciechowski and Herald Ruijters, Director in DG MOVE, had an exchange of views with Christianne van der Wal, the new chair of the EGTC “Rhine-Alpine”. They subsequently participated in the meeting of the EGTC Assembly. The Coordinator gave a presentation on the role of the TEN-T and of the Corridor in the regional development. He underlined the complementarity of actions undertaken by the EGTC and by himself. Both sides committed to continue their close cooperation.

Virtual Seminar of the European Coordinators, 18 June 2020

Paweł Wojciechowski participated in the Coordinators’ seminar. Commissioner for Transport Adina Vălean joined the event to discuss with the Coordinators their current activities as well as the future CEF, the revision of the TEN-T and the recovery package. In the second part of the seminar, the European Commission informed the Coordinators about preliminary results of the reflow call and presented an analysis of the recovery package from the transport perspective.

Virtual Seminar of the European Coordinators, 18 May 2020

Paweł Wojciechowski participated in the Coordinators’ seminar. During their online meeting, they discussed developments in relation to Chinese investments in transport infrastructure in Europe, as well as the role of transport and EU investment instruments in the aftermath of the Covid-19 crisis.

Virtual Seminar of the European Coordinators, 24 April 2020

Paweł Wojciechowski participated in the Coordinators’ seminar. It was an opportunity to exchange views with the European Commission on the current issues. The discussion focused on the impact of the COVID-19 crisis on the Coordinators’ work, on measures taken by INEA following the crisis as regards the management of the CEF calls and grants, on the role that TEN-T and CEF could play in the aftermath of the crisis and on the Court of Auditors’ audit on the so-called flagship projects.

CCNR Plenary session; Strasbourg 3 December 2019

Pawel Wojciechowski participated in the plenary session of the Central Commission for the Navigation of the Rhine (CCNR). He gave a presentation, outlining the main elements of the Corridor Work Plan, in particular with regard to inland waterways. He also presented funding possibilities for the sector in the next financial perspective. A discussion, which followed, focused on ways to improve reliability of inland navigation on the Rhine.

Fourteenth Rhine-Alpine Corridor Forum; Brussels 18 November 2019

Paweł Wojciechowski chaired the Forum of the Rhine-Alpine Corridor. He updated the Forum members on his recent and upcoming activities. The agenda included an update on the progress of the Corridor study, an overview of the support from CEF to projects on the corridor, a presentation on funding possibilities under the new 2019 CEF Call and under the CEF Blending Facility. The Rail Freight Corridor gave a presentation on railway infrastructure needs from the market perspective.

25th anniversary of the European Federation of Inland Ports; Strasbourg 23-24 October 2019

Pawel Wojciechowski participated in the event organized on the 25th anniversary of the European Federation of Inland Ports (EFIP). He gave a speech, underlining the importance of inland ports as multimodal logistics hubs across the TEN-T Corridors. The Port of Strasbourg and the CCNR (Central Commission for the Navigation of the Rhine) hosted the celebrations. In the margins, the coordinator held discussions with MEPs and stakeholders of the inland waterway sector. He also visited the inland ports of Strasbourg and Kehl.

Working Group on the resilience of inland waterway and rail transport; Basel 27 September 2019

Paweł Wojciechowski chaired the Working Group meeting, which gathered stakeholders from the rail, inland waterway and logistics sectors. Participants discussed challenges and opportunities for transport of goods on the Rhine-Alpine Corridor. The underlining message was the existence of high-capacity rail and inland waterway infrastructure running in parallel. The discussion focused on ways to improve reliability of logistics chains on the Corridor. The Coordinator will report from the meeting to the Corridor Forum in November.

Hearing of the European Coordinator in the European Parliament; Brussels 24 September 2019

Paweł Wojciechowski took part in the hearing of several European Coordinators in the European Parliament. He provided the members of the TRAN Committee with information on the development of the Rhine-Alpine Core Network Corridor, as well as on the European Coordinators’ way of working. Members of the EP took the floor to ask questions or make comments on issues of horizontal nature but also specific to the Corridor, such as navigability of the Rhine.

Thirteenth Rhine-Alpine Corridor Forum; Brussels 17 June 2019

Paweł Wojciechowski chaired the Forum of the Rhine-Alpine Corridor. He updated the Forum members on his recent and upcoming activities. The agenda included an update on the progress of the Corridor study, a focus on the new European financing opportunities with the CEF blending facility and the next CEF Regulation, and a presentation of the Inland Waterways Transport platform.

Meeting with the State Secretaries of the German Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure and meeting with the CEO of Deutsche Bahn; Berlin 29 May 2019

The Rhine Alpine – Orient East Med –North Sea Baltic – Rhine Danube – ScanMed - Atlantic TEN-T Coordinators and the ERTMS Coordinator met the German Federal State Secretary Guido Beermann, the State Secretary Michael Güntner and the Parliamentary State Secretary Steffen Bilger. This meeting allowed for exchanges of information on essential issues for each of the Corridors and on cross-cutting policies. The Coordinators also had a fruitful exchange with the CEO of Deutsche Bahn Dr Richard Lutz and his management team on Corridor investments and digitalisation of rail.

ESPO Annual Conference; Livorno 24 May 2019

Paweł Wojciechowski participated in the Annual Conference of the European Sea Ports Organisation, hosted by the Port of Livorno. He took part in the closing policy debate, which focused on investment needs and priorities of European ports.

CUPT Conference “Intermodal-Cargo-Innovation”; Gdynia 22 May 2019

Paweł Wojciechowski gave a speech at the conference organized by the Centre of European Transport Projects, under the auspices of the Polish Ministry of Infrastructure and Ministry of Investments and Economic Development. He gave a presentation on the importance of the core network corridors for the development of modern, sustainable, intelligent and efficient transport. He also took part in a panel discussion, which focused on the development of core network corridors and rail freight corridors in Poland.

Via Carpatia conference; Łańcut 17 April 2019

Paweł Wojciechowski addressed – on behalf of the European Commission – an international conference on the Via Carpatia project. He welcomed the regional cooperation and involvement of neighbouring countries in the initiative. He pointed to the recognition of the project by the European Commission, which has proposed Via Carpatia in the annex to the CEF 2 proposal. At the same time, he emphasised that the CEF 2 instrument will have a clear focus on sustainable infrastructure, in line with the climate objectives of the Union.

Seminar of the European Coordinators and meeting with the EIB and with the European Court of Auditors; Luxembourg 9-10 April 2019

During their seminar in Luxembourg, the European Coordinators exchanged views with the representatives of the EU Court of Auditors in charge of the audit on “Transport Infrastructure flagship projects” along the TEN-T Corridors. They also met the European Investment Bank to discuss newly established financing mechanism and tools by the Bank and their added-value with European funding mechanisms for large transport infrastructure.

Working Group on Urban Nodes, Milan 1 April 2019

European Coordinators Iveta Radičová and Paweł Wojciechowski presided over a joint Working Group meeting of the Mediterranean and Rhine-Alpine Core Network Corridors. The purpose of the session was to share experiences and best practices in tackling transport policy challenges faced by urban nodes. Discussion focused on such issues as soft mobility, congestion, charging schemes, public acceptance, etc.

Visit to the North Sea Port; Ghent, 22 March 2019

Paweł Wojciechowski participated – along the Coordinator Péter Balázs – in a joint visit to the North Sea Port. The coordinators held exchanges with the CEO of the port and his team. Discussion focused on the next financial perspective and on the position of the newly merged port on the TEN-T network. The coordinators also took part in a technical visit of the port.

Stati Generali della Logistica; Milan 15 March 2019

Paweł Wojciechowski gave a speech at the conference organized by Italian regions of Liguria, Lombardy and Piedmont. He focused on the role of North-Western Italy on the Rhine-Alpine Corridor, welcoming the close regional cooperation. Later, he took part in a discussion, which focused on the resilience of transport infrastructure and on challenges faced by the southern branch of the corridor.

Gdynia Transport Week; Gdynia 6 March 2019

Paweł Wojciechowski gave a presentation on the future financial perspective, with a particular focus on the CEF 2 proposal. Later, he exchanged views with the audience on the relationship between political priorities of the CEF 2 and the transport priorities in Poland. He also looked at the future revision of the TEN-T Regulation.

Forum of Pietrarsa; Genoa 26 November 2018

Paweł Wojciechowski spoke at the third Forum of Pietrarsa, a yearly conference organized by Italian transport and business associations: Confindustria, Confetra and Assoferr. He delivered a strong message, underlining the need to consolidate the efforts (financial and governance), cooperate and remain committed to development of infrastructure (3 C's) to complete the corridor network in Italy. At the margins of the event, the Coordinator held bilateral exchanges with the Deputy Minister of Infrastructure Edoardo Rixi and with Genoa's mayor Marco Bucci.

Twelfth Rhine-Alpine Corridor Forum; Brussels 19 November 2018

Paweł Wojciechowski chaired the Forum of the Rhine-Alpine Corridor. He updated the Forum members on his recent activities, in particular as regards the follow-up to the Morandi bridge collapse in Genoa. On the same topic, the Liguria region gave a presentation. The Corridor consultants presented the outlook on the third phase of the Corridor study. Finally, Karel Vinck, the European Coordinator for ERTMS, gave an update on the deployment of the ERTMS on the Corridor.

Corridor Week in the Netherlands; Rotterdam 6-8 November 2018

Paweł Wojciechowski participated in a number of events organized by the Province of South Holland in the framework of the Corridor Week in the Netherlands. He took part in panel discussions at the Flemish-Dutch Delta Conference and in the event focused on safe and secure truck parking. The Coordinator addressed also members of the Advisory Board of the EGTC “Rhine-Alpine”. He gave a presentation on the future financial perspective, with a particular focus on the CEF 2 proposal.

Meetings in the Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure; the Hague 7 November 2018

Paweł Wojciechowski held working-level meetings in the Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure. Discussion focused in particular on the role of seaports in the Corridor and on the ways to improve competitiveness of the inland navigation sector, including its resistance to climate change.

EFIP Executive Committee; Liege 12 October 2018

Paweł Wojciechowski participated in the Executive Committee of the European Federation of Inland Ports. He gave a presentation on the future financial perspective, with a particular focus on the CEF 2 proposal. Together with Mathieu Grosch, the Coordinator for the Orient/East Med Corridor, they exchanged views with the EFIP members on the relationship between political priorities of the CEF 2 and the priorities of the inland navigation sector. They also looked at the future revision of the TEN-T Regulation.

Seminar of the European Coordinators, 5 October 2018, Brussels

European Coordinators gathered in Brussels on 5 October 2018 to discuss topics of common concern, such as the further evolution of the TEN-T and the state of play of the Commission proposal on a Connecting Europe Facility 2. Horizontal priorities (ERTMS and Motorways of the Sea), cross-border cooperation, military mobility were also on the agenda. Coordinators welcomed Ms Jensen, Ms Radicova and Mr Ruete as new members of the team and expressed their gratitude to Mr Brinkhorst and Mr Simpson whose mandate as Coordinator ended on 15 September 2018.

Conference “Transport of the Future”; Warsaw 26 September 2018

Paweł Wojciechowski participated in the conference organized by TLP under the auspices of the Polish Ministry of Infrastructure and Ministry of Investments and Economic Development. He gave a presentation on the importance of the core network corridors for the development of modern, sustainable, intelligent and efficient transport. The event gathered representatives of business associations, public authorities and private sector.

Visit to Liguria in the aftermath of the Morandi bridge collapse; Genoa 10-11 September 2018

Paweł Wojciechowski visited Genoa in the aftermath of the Morandi bridge collapse. He expressed condolences to families, relatives and friends of all those who lost their lives in the catastrophe. He met with local and regional authorities as well as with the management of the Ports of Genoa. He held talks with Edoardo Rixi, Deputy Minister of Infrastructure. The Coordinator discussed short and medium term remedial actions necessary to restore the transport situation in the city back to normal. Finally, he spoke at a workshop in the presence of economic stakeholders from the port and the region.

EGTC “Rhine-Alpine” Corridor Conference; Brussels 7 June 2018

Paweł Wojciechowski gave a keynote speech at the plenary session of the Conference organized by the EGTC “Rhine-Alpine”. He presented his view on the future of the Rhine-Alpine Corridor, pointing at key drivers towards the vision of modern transport, namely: decarbonisation, digitalisation, investment and innovation. He also participated in a panel discussion on the relationship between the “Belt and Road Initiative” and the European infrastructure policy.

ESPO Annual Conference; Rotterdam 31 May-1 June 2018

Along with several other European Coordinators, Paweł Wojciechowski participated in the Annual Conference of the European Sea Ports Organisation, hosted by the Port of Rotterdam. The discussions focussed on investment needs in ports, public acceptance, and the multimodal approach of the TEN-T Corridors.

Meeting with Pier Eringa, CEO of ProRail; Amsterdam 31 May 2018

Paweł Wojciechowski met with the CEO of ProRail - the Dutch rail infrastructure manager. They exchanged views on the most pressing investment priorities on the Dutch sections of the corridor network.

TEN-T Days; Ljubljana 25-27 April 2018

Paweł Wojciechowski took part in the TEN-T Days in Ljubljana. He chaired the Rhine-Alpine Corridor meeting and participated in the panel debate at the session “Boosting rail freight”. The corridor meeting saw a panel discussion involving high-level representatives of the inland navigation and rail sectors as well as an MEP and a representative of the regions. The discussion focused on critical issues on the corridor, both in relation to infrastructure and to operational and procedural obstacles.
In addition, Paweł Wojciechowski joined other Coordinators in a meeting with Günther Oettinger, Commissioner for Budget and Human Resources. The Coordinators presented to the Commissioner their Joint Position Paper on the future of European transport infrastructure funding.

Executive Board of the Rhine-Alpine Rail Freight Corridor and meeting with Marc Frequin, Director General at the Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure; the Hague 11 April 2018

Paweł Wojciechowski took part in the meeting of the Executive Board of the Rail Freight Corridor Rhine-Alpine. He exchanged information on the relevant closely connected activities of the Core Network and Rail Freight corridors. At the bilateral meeting with the Dutch authorities, the Coordinator discussed the state of infrastructure and ways to eliminate the most pressing bottlenecks on rail and inland waterway network of the corridor.

Rhine-Alpine conference "Un Mare di Svizzera"; Lugano 14 March 2018

Paweł Wojciechowski took part in the conference organized the Ports of Genoa. He spoke in the panel "Liguria ports and the railway corridor Genoa – Rotterdam: a key to economic and social development”. In his intervention, the European Coordinator stressed the key role of ports, as gateways to the corridor. In this regard, he focused on the major projects, which need to ensure high-capacity hinterland connections in order to accommodate growing volumes handled in ports.
Referring specifically to the southern branch of the corridor, Paweł Wojciechowski underlined the importance of such projects as Terzo Valico dei Giovi and its extension towards Milan and Novara. He also referred to southern access routes to the Swiss tunnels. In this regard, he recalled EU’s support from CEF for the technological upgrade of the Chiasso – Milan line.

Hearing of the TEN-T Coordinators in the European Parliament; Brussels 26 February 2018

Paweł Wojciechowski attended the annual hearing of the European Coordinators. He informed the members of the European Parliament about the progress in the implementation of the Rhine-Alpine Corridor, as well as the future perspectives. On broader terms, he underlined the unique and strong multilevel governance model of the corridors, combining bottom-up and top-down approaches.
The chair of the TRAN Committee expressed her high appreciation of the work done so far and offered an open invitation to the Coordinators to be in contact with the European Parliament on a regular basis.

CER/UNIFE Rail Award Ceremony; Brussels 20 February 2018

Paweł Wojciechowski participated – along Commissioner Violeta Bulc and the chair of the TRAN Committee Karima Deli, in a round-table discussion at the European Rail Award 2018 event. At this occasion, the Gotthard tunnel – a flagship project on the Rhine-Alpine Corridor – received the award. In his intervention, the European Coordinator focused on different options for financing of rail infrastructure.

Meeting of the Coordinators with Commissioners Bulc and Oettinger; Brussels 30-31 January 2018

Paweł Wojciechowski participated in meetings of the European Coordinators with Violeta Bulc, Commissioner for Transport and Günther Oettinger, Commissioner for Budget and Human Resources. The discussion concerned the next financial perspective and infrastructure investments in the EU. The participants exchanged views of how to improve the future CEF funding instrument.
Commissioner Bulc pointed out that a good governance model is required to communicate better to European citizens on the results. Commissioner Oettinger called upon the good contacts of the European Coordinators in the regional and national ministries. He underlined that the demonstration of the European added value will be the guiding principle for the debates on the next MFF.
On the second day, the Coordinators held a meeting with INEA, where they discussed progress of the CEF projects.

Workshop on rail noise on the Rhine-Alpine Corridor; Mannheim 4 December 2017

Paweł Wojciechowski chaired a workshop on rail noise. As freight trains have become a major source of noise pollution on the Rhine-Alpine Corridor, the European Coordinator decided to support a pilot action on the reduction of rail noise. The focus of this project is to set-up a comprehensive analysis of the current situation between the North Sea ports and Genoa. A summary of the results of the first phase were presented and discussed in Mannheim with experts and key stakeholders. During the workshop each of them had the chance to present main challenges and local and regional activities aiming to reduce citizens' exposure to noise.
In the margins of the workshop Paweł Wojciechowski held a bilateral meeting with Christian Specht – First Mayor of Mannheim.

CEF conference; Warsaw 24 November 2017

Paweł Wojciechowski participated in the conference organized by the Ministry of Economic Development in Poland. He presented the "Joint Declaration of the European Coordinators on the future of TEN-T and CEF", outlining the remarkable performance of the CEF instrument so far, and calling for reinforced support for projects with the highest European value added in the next financial perspective. The event gathered Commissioner Violeta Bulc, ministers and deputy ministers from Poland, high-level Commission officials, representatives of German and Slovenia authorities, as well as CEF beneficiaries from the private sector.

Investing to Connect Europe conference; meetings with MEPs; seminar of the Coordinators; Strasbourg 14-16 November 2017

Paweł Wojciechowski participated in the conference organized by the European Commission in the context of the preparations for the next MFF. The event involved – along the European Coordinators - high-level representatives from the European Commission, the European Parliament and the Council.
During his visit in Strasbourg, Paweł Wojciechowski met with several MEPs from across the political spectrum, representing different Committees, such as TRAN, BUDG, REGI, ITRE and PETI. At those meetings he presented the "Joint Declaration of the European Coordinators on the future of TEN-T and CEF", outlining the remarkable performance of the CEF instrument so far, and calling for reinforced support for projects with the highest European value added in the next financial perspective.
Paweł Wojciechowski attended also the European Coordinators' Seminar. This bi-annual meeting was an opportunity to exchange views with the European Commission and the other Coordinators on different topics linked to the future development of the TEN-T corridors and their financing. The seminar was followed by an open discussion with Commissioner Bulc on the short and medium term objectives for the implementation of the TEN-T network
Meeting with the Western Liguria Ports; conference on ports and logistics; visit of the Terzo Valico project; Genoa 2-3 October 2017
Paweł Wojciechowski spoke at the conference organized by the Western Liguria Ports on the topic of ports, intermodality and logistics on the Rhine-Alpine Corridor. He took part in one of the panels and delivered concluding remarks. He held bilateral exchanges with Paolo Emilio Signorini – President of the Port Authority.
Paweł Wojciechowski met also with the representative of the Italian rail infrastructure manager (RFI) and visited the Terzo Valico project, which aims to enhance the hinterland connectivity of the Western Liguria ports.

Meeting with the CCNR, with the French and German waterway authorities, with regional authorities and a visit to the Port of Strasbourg, 13-15 November 2017

During his stay in Strasbourg, Paweł Wojciechowski visited the seat of the Central Commission for the Navigation of the Rhine. He held bilateral talks with Bruno Georges – Secretary General of the organisation and had a working meeting with his team. He also met with the representatives of the Voies Navigables de France and the Wasserstraen- und Schiffarhrtämter waterway authorities. He discussed the regional and local dimension of the Corridor with Roland Ries – Mayor of Strasbourg and Robert Herrmann – President of the Eurometropole Region. Finally he visited the Port of Strasbourg, exchanging of views on the Port's strategy with its President – Catherine Trautmann.

Eleventh Forum of the Rhine-Alpine Corridor; Brussels 16 October 2017

Paweł Wojciechowski chaired the Forum of the Rhine-Alpine Corridor. He outlined the main novelties of the third Corridor Work Plan. The Corridor consultants presented the outcome of the second phase of the Corridor study. INEA informed on the results of the recent CEF calls for the Corridor. Finally, the Coordinator presented the Joint Declaration of the European Coordinator of the Future of TEN-T and CEF.

Meeting with the Western Liguria Ports; conference on ports and logistics; visit of the Terzo Valico project; Genoa 2-3 October 2017

Paweł Wojciechowski spoke at the conference organized by the Western Liguria Ports on the topic of ports, intermodality and logistics on the Rhine-Alpine Corridor. He took part in one of the panels and delivered concluding remarks. He held bilateral exchanges with Paolo Emilio Signorini – President of the Port Authority.
Paweł Wojciechowski met also with representatives of the Italian rail infrastructure manager (RFI) and visited the Terzo Valico project, which aims to enhance the hinterland connectivity of the Western Liguria ports.

Bilateral meeting with François Bellot, Belgian Federal Minister of Mobility; Leipzig 31 May 2017

Paweł Wojciechowski held bilateral talks with Minister François Bellot. The issue of 740-meter trains and the deployment of ERTMS were the main items on the agenda. The Coordinator also thanked the minister for active involvement of Belgian authorities in the Corridor activities and presented the main elements of his Work Plan.

Ministerial meeting on the Rhine-Alpine Corridor in the margins of the International Transport Forum; Leipzig 31 May 2017

Paweł Wojciechowski and Karel Vinck – European Coordinators responsible respectively for the Rhine-Alpine Corridor and for ERTMS - took part in the ministerial meeting on the development of the rail freight on the Corridor. The meeting was organized by the Swiss and German ministers as a side event to the International Transport Forum in Leipzig. Paweł Wojciechowski introduced the issue of performance. In his presentation he referred to the intermodality concept as being crucial to the Corridor's development. From the infrastructure perspective he put emphasis on main cross-border links, including access routes to the Swiss tunnels. From the operational perspective he underlined the need to facilitate the running of 740-meter trains. He referred to the challenge of addressing rail noise issue and acknowledged good cooperation with the Rail Freight Corridor. Finally he called on the sector to implement sector statement and on the ministers to ensure long term commitment (both in terms of legislative framework and in terms of funding). In the debate which followed, the main issue addressed was the question of 740-meter trains.

Working Group on Inland Waterways and Ports, Duisburg 15 May 2017

Paweł Wojciechowski chaired the second meeting of this Working Group organized this year. Central Commission for the Navigation of the Rhine has once again contributed to a great extent. The meeting focused on the environmental aspects of inland navigation. It was followed by a visit to the Port of Duisburg.

Visit to the Port of Switzerland and Assembly of the EGTC Rhine-Alpine, Basel 8 May 2017

Paweł Wojciechowski met with the President of the Port of Switzerland and visited the port itself. The topics discussed revolved around intermodal approach and the sustainability of inland waterway transport on the Corridor. The Coordinator also gave a presentation at the Assembly of the EGTC Rhine-Alpine. He presented and discussed the way forward regarding update of the Corridor Work Plan.

Meeting of the European Coordinators with Maxime Prévot, Minister of Public Works of Wallonia region; Namur 3 May 2017

Paweł Wojciechowski took part in a meeting with Minister Maxime Prévot. Two other Coordinators of the corridors crossing Wallonia were also present. The Coordinators discussed with the Minister interlinks between the corridor work plans and the investment priorities of the Walloon government.

Visit to the Port of Antwerp, 3 May 2017

Paweł Wojciechowski met with the Chairman of the Port of Antwerp and visited the port itself. He discussed the intermodal policy of the port and sustainability-related actions being undertaken. He also presented his work on the update of the Corridor Work Plan.

Hearing in the European Parliament, Brussels 28 February 2017

Paweł Wojciechowski was at the meeting of the TRAN Committee, presenting progress on the Rhine-Alpine Corridor over the last year. He also gave an outlook on the third Work Plan. Furthermore he presented the issue paper on extending the cooperation with third countries – the paper which he co-wrote with two other European Coordinators. Most of the questions from MEPs revolved around rail projects along access routes to the Swiss tunnels. The issue of rail noise was also raised.

Working Group on Inland Waterways and Ports, Rotterdam 27 February 2017

Paweł Wojciechowski chaired the meeting of the Working Group. It was the first meeting of this group after the one of 2014. It has been prepared jointly with the Central Commission for the Navigation of the Rhine (CCNR). The discussion centred on the ways to improve competitiveness of the inland navigation sector. The meeting concluded with a visit to the Port of Rotterdam.

Working Group of Urban Nodes and Regions, Mannheim 30 January 2017

Paweł Wojciechowski chaired the meeting of the Working Group. It was the first meeting of this group after the one of 2014. It has been hosted by the EGTC Rhine-Alpine. The discussion contributed to enhancing the analysis of the Corridor's urban nodes in the Work Plan. Following the Working Group, the Coordinator met with the Deputy Mayor of the city of Mannheim. Finally he met with the Director of the Port of Mannheim and visited the port itself.

Opening of works on the Emmerich-Oberhausen project, Oberhausen 20 January 2017

Paweł Wojciechowski took part in the official opening of works on the line Emmerich-Oberhausen. The ceremony was held on the outskirts of Oberhausen, at the section for which the first building permit has been granted. It was followed by a meeting with local Citizens' Initiatives (CIs) in the presence of MEP Markus Pieper and DB Netz.

Executive Board of the Rhine-Alpine Rail Freight Corridor and meeting with the Italian rail infrastructure manager (RFI), Rome 28 November

Paweł Wojciechowski took part in the meeting of the Executive Board of the Rail Freight Corridor Rhine-Alpine. He exchanged information on the relevant closely connected activities of the Core Network and Rail Freight corridors. The meeting was yet another opportunity – after the panel discussion during the corridor meeting at the Rotterdam TEN-T Days – to strengthen cooperation between the two entities. The issue of 740 meter trains was discussed in more details. The subsequent meeting the RFI was an opportunity to obtain detailed information on the progress in implementing rail projects along the Italian sections of the Corridor.

Freight & Logistics Conference on "Crossing the Alps", Baveno 24-25 November

Paweł Wojciechowski spoke at the Conference, presenting in details the EU TEN-T policy, the corridor approach and going more in-depth on the Work Plan of the Rhine-Alpine Corridor. Presentations were also given the representatives of the logistics sector, ports, and administrations. An interactive debate followed, in which the Coordinator was also involved. On the second day the Coordinator was present in his capacity as the co-author of the issue paper on extending cooperation with third countries. He presented the idea of the issue papers, the paper on third countries, and focused in particular on the European response to the OBOR initiative. Similarly an interactive debate with the involvement of the Coordinator followed.

Visit to North-Rhine Westphalia: meeting the Port of Duisburg, regional minister and Deutsche Bahn, Duisburg and Düsseldorf 11 November 2016

Paweł Wojciechowski visited the State of North-Rhine Westphalia. He had a meeting in the Port of Duisburg, presenting current state of play of the second Work Plan and giving an outlook into the third Work Plan. The main issues discussed revolved around the sustainability of inland navigation and the development of Eurasian rail link. The Coordinator also held a working meeting in Düsseldorf with Michael Groschek – Minister of Transport of the State of North-Rhine Westphalia. Both sides exchanged views on the infrastructure priorities of the Work Plan and of the State of NRW. They referred to problems surrounding implementation of "the third track" project. The ministerial meeting was followed by a meeting with the regional DB office and with the project managers. The Coordinator was informed about the latest developments on the Emmerich-Oberhausen project.

The Netherlands, 9-11 October 2016

Paweł Wojciechowski had extensive visit to the Netherlands, holding high-level talks in the Ministry of Infrastructure and meeting the CEOs of the major European ports of Rotterdam, Amsterdam and Zeeland Seaports. Discussions focused on finding the ways for further sustainable development of the Corridor. The Coordinator also visited places along the corridor, such as the inland terminal of Alblasserdam; the innovation hub at the Wageningen University, the multimodal terminal of Valburg and Arnhem central station.

Liguria region, 18-20 September 2016

Paweł Wojciechowski was present in the Liguria region, meeting with regional authorities and stakeholders and visiting the ports of Genoa and Savona. He exchanged views on the ways to enhance the role of Liguria ports in the Rhine-Alpine corridor. In this regard the question of improving hinterland connection from ports was discussed and the project of Terzo Valico dei Giovi was presented.

TEN-T Days and the UIC Global Rail Freight Conference, 20 to 22 June, 2016, Rotterdam

Paweł Wojciechowski took part in the TEN-T Days and the UIC Global Rail Freight Conference in two roles. As the European Coordinator of Rhine-Alpine Corridor, he chaired the corridor meeting and had a bilateral discussion with the Dutch Minister of Infrastructure. As the lead author of the issue paper on 'Expanding the cooperation with third countries' he intervened in the ministerial session with the third countries and participated in the panel at the UIC Conference.

The corridor meeting saw a panel discussion involving high-level representatives of the inland navigation and rail sectors as well as a representative of the regions. The key messages/recommendations from the debate, constituting the guidance for coordinator's future work, were: cooperation/coordination between the modes; reliability of infrastructure in terms of efficient operations; bringing the corridor close to people.

At the meeting with the Dutch Minister for Infrastructure and Environment, Melanie Schulz van Haegen, the main issues up for discussion were: the draft standards on the Rhine River and the implementation of the Emmerich-Oberhausen project in Germany. The Coordinator also briefly referred to the issue paper on 'Expanding the cooperation with third countries'. Both sides agreed to continue their close cooperation. In this context the Coordinator will visit the Netherlands in mid-October 2016.

At the ministerial session with third countries the Coordinator presented the issue paper on external dimension of the TEN-T 'Expanding the cooperation with third countries'. The presentation of the paper served to support the discussion and illustrated the current situation as well as future challenges relating to EU-neighbouring countries' cooperation in the TEN-T area.

Finally the Coordinator was invited to be a panellist at a debate organised by the UIC in the framework of the Global Rail Freight conference. This was yet another opportunity for the Coordinator to refer to the issue paper on 'Expanding the cooperation with third countries'. However, on this occasion he took the opportunity to go into greater detail regarding the prospects for the development of land connections between Asia and Europe.

Opening of the Gotthard Base Tunnel, 31 May and 1 June 2016, Switzerland

Paweł Wojciechowski had the opportunity and privilege to take part in the opening of the Gotthard Base Tunnel – the longest railway tunnel in the world. He was one of three speakers granted the opportunity to address the audience on the eve of the opening. The Coordinator referred to the importance of the tunnel in increasing the competitiveness of rail transport on the Rhine-Alpine Corridor. He also drew attention to the need to ensure high capacity access routes to the tunnel, in order to exploit its full potential.

Meeting of the Coordinators of the 'German' Corridors with the Federal Minister Alexander Dobrindt, 12 May 2016, Berlin

Paweł Wojciechowski took part in the meeting of the Coordinators of the 'German' corridors with the Federal Minister Alexander Dobrindt. Mr Wojciechowski underlined the importance of the Rhine-Alpine Corridor, not only for Germany but also from a European perspective. He referred to two key rail projects - Emmerich-Oberhausen and Karlsruhe-Basel - which should be implemented as soon as possible in order to exploit the full potential of high capacity infrastructure in the Netherlands (Betuwe route) and in Switzerland (Alpine tunnels). He drew attention to delays caused by lengthy procedures, calling for the need to look together at how to streamline the procurement and permitting processes.

Mission to the Assembly of the inter-regional grouping of the Rhine-Alpine Corridor and additional site visits, 11 and 12 April 2016, Italy

Paweł Wojciechowski participated in regional meetings in North-Western Italy. The primary purpose of the mission was the Assembly of the inter-regional grouping of the Rhine-Alpine Corridor – the EGTC Rhine-Alpine. On top of this, a meeting was organised with ministries and stakeholders of the three Italian regions crossed by the corridor - Liguria, Lombardy and Piedmont. The Coordinator was informed of the agreement reached between the three regions and the Ministry on the Development of Infrastructure, the so called Stati Generali della Logistica. Finally the Coordinator also visited a multimodal terminal in Novara and two projects (cargo city and Raillink) at the Malpensa airport.

Participation in a European Parliament debate ahead of the opening of the Gotthard Base Tunnel, 16 February 2016, Brussels

Paweł Wojciechowski participated in a debate organised in the European Parliament on the occasion of the upcoming opening of the Gotthard Base tunnel. He gave a presentation about his priorities as the Coordinator of the Rhine-Alpine Corridor. He also addressed the issue of the financing of infrastructure. Speeches were also given by Olivier Onidi – director in DG MOVE and Andreas Meyer – CEO of SBB. Several MEPs intervened in the debate, which focused on issues of importance for the corridor; access routes to the Swiss tunnels and the limitation of rail noise.

Meetings with the Swiss Federal Councillor Doris Leuthard, Swiss rail companies SBB and BLS, and site visit to Lötschberg Base tunnel, 11 and 12 January, 2016, Switzerland

Paweł Wojciechowski met with the Swiss Federal Councillor Doris Leuthard. They exchanged views on the priorities for infrastructure investment on the Rhine-Alpine Corridor. They referred also to the upcoming opening of the Gotthard Base tunnel. Both acknowledged the need to make sure that high capacity access routes in Germany and Italy are created in order to exploit the full potential of the flat rail route offered by the Swiss tunnels. Mr Wojciechowski also had an opportunity to meet with the management of two key Swiss rail companies, SBB and BLS. He also visited the Lötschberg Base tunnel.

Meeting with the Flemish minister responsible for transport Mr Ben Weyts and a visit to the A11 motorway project around Zeebrugge on 29 September 2015

This was the first ministerial meeting by the new coordinator. The issues discussed included: the connectivity of the ports of Antwerp and Zeebrugge, the study on the Iron Rhine rail connection between Belgium and Germany through the Netherlands and the question of urban nodes.

The meeting was followed by a site visit to the A11 motorway construction site. This project is the first one being funded under the project bonds initiative. It will improve the traffic flows around the port of Zeebrugge. The financial engineering of the project was presented and discussed. During the talks it became clear that the project could serve as a very good example of the use of alternative funding sources for the development of the transport infrastructure.

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