Amendments to the guidelines for the development of the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T) will be voted on at next week’s plenary session. ECF and EuroVelo delivered 755 letters to the EU Parliament in a concerted effort to garner support for our call on the Commission to clarify the amendment. 

The TEN-T Network covers those transport links considered to be strategically important to Europe and it has its own funding stream of 26 billion Euros from 2014-2020 (together with energy network). From the ECF and EuroVelo standpoint, we are interested in safeguarding present and future cycling infrastructure within TEN-T plans.

Our aim is to ensure that existing and planned EuroVelo routes are respected and maintained with the creation of these new corridors. As MEPs prepare for the vote in Strasbourg next week, we are seeking their support in asking for clarification on the amendment concerning long-distance EuroVelo routes and other cycling infrastructure. Cycling and EuroVelo will be directly referred to in the regulations for the first time ever – a success after our campaign from last Fall.  However, the Commission should clarify the meaning of the amendment and stipulate whether EuroVelo will be eligible to receive funding from the TEN-T network and ensure that EuroVelo routes will be respected when and where they intersect with TEN-T projects.