between France and its neighbors, Europe is pushing for rail – Libération

While 80% of recent European investments in transport infrastructure are intended for rail, “Libé” takes stock of existing or expected connections between France and its main border countries. And on the progress of the Trans-European Transport Network.

Driven by a desire to decarbonize transport – the second largest sector emitting greenhouse gases in Europe – and to travel differently, the train is finally being taken seriously by public authorities. If Italy, Spain and even Germany have announced hundreds of billions of euros of investments in 2024, all European countries are moving forward. It must be said that the European Commission, sometimes too timid on its industrial policy or competition issues, wants to be very energetic on the subject.

Its flagship is the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T). Designed to link the Old Continent with rail, road and waterways, it has existed since 1992 and the Treaty of Maastricht. “Everything was then focused on how we could unify Europe, explained to Liberation Herald Ruijters, Deputy Director General at the Directorate General for Mobility and Transport, during an interview in May at the Commission. This philosophy is even more alive, urgent and necessary