Transport and infrastructure ministerial representatives of Albania, Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Montenegro, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia, Ukraine (SEETAC partner countries), the European Commission (DG Enlargement and DG Mobility and Transport), the European Investment Bank (EIB), regional organisations (RCC and SEETO) and transport operators (International Road Union, Trainose, the Hellenic Railways Organisation and the Hellenic Regulatory Authority for Railways), gathered in Athens on 22 May, to discuss investment coordination in transport infrastructure and a better organisation of transport planning.
The third SEETAC Transport Ministerial Conference was opened by Mr. Aristeides Bourdaras, Secretary General of the Hellenic Ministry of Infrastructure, Transport and Networks and by Amb. Gerhard Pfanzelter, CEI Secretary General. “The SEETAC project represents a flagship initiative for the CEI as it aims at analysing possible integration between the Western Balkans and the EU transport systems. The objective is to generate transport continuity and infrastructure development in the European area and beyond, thus implicitly leading to a rising competitiveness and economic development ” said Amb. Pfanzelter. Representatives of SEETAC Transport Ministries had the opportunity to discuss their priorities and investment programmes, the importance of planning and coordination at regional level as well as outline the difficulties of implementing reforms. The meeting also focused on the current debate on the TEN-T proposed regulation and on the EU transport policy for South East Europe. The European Commission – DG Mobility and Transport underlined that the SEETAC project contributes to the debate on the Ten-T revision process, provides arguments for the extension of the Ten-T to the Western Balkans and works in synergy with SEETO priority projects. The ministerial meeting was preceded by the Infrastructure Forum focusing on the coordination of priorities, transport investments in the region, administrative reforms and border-crossing bottlenecks. Both events were organised by the Hellenic Ministry of Infrastructure, Transport and Networks and by the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki in cooperation with the CEI. The SEETAC Project is co-financed by the EU through the South East Europe Cooperation Programme with a total budget of 2.38 million EUR. The project Final Conference will be organised by the Slovenian Ministry of Infrastructure and Spatial Planning at the end of August 2012. Presentations available Heleni Zacharaki - Advisor to the Secretary General, Hellenic Ministry of Infrastructure, Transport and Networks Izet Bajrambašić - Assistant Minister, Bosnia and Herzegovina Angelina Zivkovic - Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Transport, Montenegro Roberto Ferrazza - Ministry of Economic Development, Infrastructure and Transport, Italy Helmut Adelsberger - European Commission, DG MOVE Christos Gofas - EC, DG Enlargement, Regional Cooperation and Programmes Michael Nielsen - International Road Transport Union South East Europe Transport Observatory (SEETO) Carlo Fortuna - SEETAC project manager, CEI For more information: www.seetac.eu