From one year to the next

Second call for proposals in the field of ERTMS : a new impulse for Corridor D Under the multi-annual programme TEN-T programme 2007-2013, the amount of 500 M¤ has been set aside for the deployment of the ERTMS actions. During the first call for projects, in 2007, 21 M¤ were allocated to the Corridor D project. The grants requested in May 2009, as part of the second call for projects should cover the deployment of ERTMS on the remaining sections in Spain, France, Italy and Slovenia. The European Commission is expected to reach a decision by the first months of 2010.

Headline news

Facilitating relations between sea and land transport is one of the major challenges in setting up a freight oriented rail network. The major sea port of Marseille - which benefits from a privileged location along Corridor D - is a successfull example.

Corridor D project is part of the idea of promoting a "European rail network giving priority to freight" with a view to energising transport of goods by rail in Europe and increasing its efficiency. The establishment of such a network will contribute to develop sustainable mobility, encouraging the modal shift from road to rail.

The project aims at developing technical interoperability, particularly through the deployment of a common European signalling system and the removal of operational and operating barriers along the 3 000 kilometre route.

Objective: to provide a freely moving freight service from Valencia in Spain to Budapest in Hungary.

Corridor D crosses Europe from West to East and is interconnected with Corridors C (Antwerp-Basel-Lyon), A (Rotterdam-Genoa), B (Stockholm-Naples) and E (Dresden-Budapest).

Infrastructure managers, Member States and rail freight operators in Spain, France, Italy, Slovenia and Hungary are all involved in the project. Their joining in the project is necessary for harmonising and coordinating the investments and the measures required to improve quality of service.