Scandinavian - Mediterranean corridor

Overview

The Scandinavian-Mediterranean Corridor represents a crucial north-south axis for the European economy. The corridor extends from the North of Finland, Sweden, and Norway, through Denmark, Germany, and Austria to the Mediterranean coast of Southern Italy and further on by sea to Malta. Major ports and network nodes are Stockholm, Helsinki, Oslo, Gothenburg and Copenhagen in the North, Hamburg, Hannover, Berlin, Leipzig, Frankfurt am Main, Munich and Innsbruck in the centre and finally Verona, Bologna, Rome, Naples, La Spezia, Ancona, Livorno, Florence, Cagliari (Sardinia), Bari, Palermo (Sicily) as well as Valetta and Marsaxlokk (both Malta) in the southern part of the corridor. It comprises rail and road and European Maritime Space sections (e.g. Lübeck/Rostock to Scandinavia or southern Italy/Sicily to Malta) sections as well as 21 airports, 33 ports, 29 rail-road-terminals and 74 urban nodes. The key infrastructure projects on this corridor are the Fehmarnbelt fixed link and the Brenner base tunnel.

Main bottlenecks and missing links

The cross-border alpine connection between Munich and Verona represents a major bottleneck on the corridor and will be alleviated by the construction of the Brenner Base Rail Tunnel, when it becomes operational in 2032. The removal of this bottleneck is crucial for the realisation of the entire corridor, linking Northern and Southern Europe. Together with the Gotthard-Monte Ceneri axis in Switzerland and the Lyon-Turin rail connection, the Brenner corridor will bind together a complex network of high-capacity rail links. Together these networks will help to achieve the environmental objectives set by the EU and ensure the modal shift from road to rail; necessary for the future of the ecologically sensitive alpine region.

The Fehmarnbelt Fixed Link is a key component in the main north-south route between Central Europe and the Nordic countries. This cross-border bottleneck will be removed by the construction of the new immersed rail/road tunnel under the 18 km wide, Fehmarn Strait, between Rødby in Denmark and Puttgarden in Germany. Following the completion of the project in 2029 including its access routes in the south and in the north, the travel time for passengers between Copenhagen and Hamburg will be reduced to approximately 2.5 hours. Time gains freight services will be even more significant.

Other major cross-border bottlenecks and missing links on the corridor are the sections Lulea – Narvik (SE/NO), Lulea – Oulu (SE/FI), Stockholm – Oslo (SE/NO) and Gothenburg – Oslo (SE/NO).

Additionally important national sections in this respect are North-Bothnian and New East coast line (SE), Stockholm – Malmö (SE), Helsinki – Turku (FI), Helsinki – Kouvola (FI), Bremen/Hamburg-Hannover (DE), Erfurt-Fulda-Frankfurt (DE), Salerno - Reggio Calabria (IT), Messina Strait bridge (IT), Catania - Palermo (IT), Napoli – Bari (IT).

European Coordinator for the TEN-T Scandinavian-Mediterranean Corridor, Mr Pat Cox

Mr Pat Cox was born on 28 November 1952, in Dublin, Ireland. The former President of the European Parliament was appointed European Coordinator for the TEN-T Scandinavian-Mediterranean Corridor on 12 March 2014 and was reappointed as European Coordinator for the Scan-Med European Transport Corridor on 9 September 2024. Before, from 8 June 2010, he was the European Coordinator for the TEN-T Priority Project N° 1 Berlin-Palermo.

Mr Cox holds National Honours bestowed by the Presidents of Austria, Bulgaria, Estonia, France, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania; and Honorary Doctorates from Trinity College Dublin, the National University of Ireland, the University of Limerick, the Open University and the American College Dublin. In 2004 he was awarded the International Charlemagne Prize for his achievements with regard to the enlargement of the European Union and for his work in promoting greater EU democratisation.

Current roles

European Focus

European Coordinator for the Scandinavian-Mediterranean TEN T Corridor (EU) (since 2010)

President, Jean Monnet Foundation for Europe, Switzerland (since 2014)

Leader of Needs Assessment and Implementation Mission on parliamentary reform for the European Parliament and the Verkhovna Rada, Kiev, Ukraine (since 2015)

Chairman, Appointment Advisory Committee, European Investment Bank, Luxembourg (since 2017)

Sustainability focus

Chairman of the Board, Gore Street Energy Storage Fund Plc, London

Chairman, Ecocem, Ireland

Chairman, Supernode Ltd. Ireland

Director, Gresham House Asset Management, Ireland

Foundations/registered charities

Director, Third Age Foundation Ireland

Senior Fellow and Director, Institute for International and European Affairs, Ireland

Director, Ireland China Institute

Honorary Vice President of the European Movement Ireland

Previous roles

President, Former Members Association, EP (2010-2014)

President European Movement International (2005-2011)

President, European Parliament (2002-2004)

President, ELDR Group, European Parliament (1998-2001)

Member of the European Parliament, Munster constituency (1989-2004)

Member of Dáil Éireann (1992-1994)

Secretary General, Progressive Democrats (1986-1989)

Current Affairs television broadcaster, RTE, Dublin (1982-1986)

Lecturer at the National Institute for Higher Education, Limerick (1976-1982)

Lecturer in Economics, Institute of Public Administration (1974-1976)