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EUROPEAN CURRENT SURVEY 16[2006/2007]4 ULR 177

markets and is of strategic importance to the EU and its industry. The European delegation
to the summit included nearly 150 representatives from airlines, airports, aerospace
industries, national governments and the European Commission. The issues addressed
during the summit included market trends, infrastructure needs and opportunities for
investment in both markets, aviation safety and security policies and scope for co-operation,
air traffic management and possible co-operation in the EU’s Single European Sky technology
and SESAR, and future EU–India co-operation in civil aviation including technical assistance
and industrial co-operation.

European Commission allows Malta The European Commission has decided to allow Malta to grant start-up aid for new air
to aid the creation of new air routes routes from Malta International Airport. The measure will last until September 2011 and
(IP/06/1606) 22 November 2006 will provide for a total of €58 million to airlines in order to finance new routes. The
primary objective of the aid is to improve connectivity by enhancing access to air transport
services which are of basic importance for the economic and social development of Malta.
The measure approved by the Commission provides for the public funding of new services
departing from Malta International Airport. The aid is designed to help airlines wishing to
establish new routes to and from the airport by meeting part of their start-up costs and
route-specific marketing aid. The Commission found that the proposed scheme is in
conformity with the Community rules adopted in 2005 in order to favour the development
of regional airports and the mobility of EU citizens.

Road transport

EIB grants a loan of €650 million for The European Investment Bank (‘EIB’) has granted a loan of €300 million to Poland for the
the Polish road network extension of the motorway network, and a loan of €350 million for the modernisation of
(BEI/06/113) 25 October 2006 priority roads, in accordance with the implementation of the Polish National Road
Programme. The loan of €300 million will finance the extension of the Polish motorway
network, focusing on the elimination of key bottlenecks, mostly on the borders with adjacent
EU Member States. The project covers sections of the A1, A4 and A6 motorways, which
are situated on priority transport axes along trans-European corridors. The loan of €350
million will support the rehabilitation and reconstruction of the Polish national road network,
plus upgrading road pavements, bridges and other structures located all over the country.
This should enhance the structural capacity of the national road network and improve
safety in the light of increased traffic.

New Directives for safer roads in the The European Commission has adopted two proposals for Directives concerning safety
EU on the roads in the EU. The first Directive aims at improving safety on the major roads, that
(IP/06/1316) 5 October 2006 is, the trans-European transport network (TEN-T), through infrastructure measures and
better engineering. It defines guidelines and best practices for all stages of infrastructure
management, including road safety impact assessments, road safety audits, network safety
management and safety inspections. The Directive does not impose technical standards or
procedures, but invites Member States to make better use of existing procedures and
practices. The second Directive provides for existing heavy vehicles to be equipped with
‘blind spot mirrors’ in order to reduce the number of accidents involving cyclists and
motorcyclists in particular. This measure aims to protect particularly vulnerable road users
such as cyclists and motorcyclists.

EIB provides €520 million in support The European Investment Bank (‘EIB’) has agreed with the Hungarian Government two
of Hungarian projects finance contracts relating to the construction of 72 km of motorway sections and by-pass
(BEI/06/131) 30 November 2006 connections on the M3/M35 motorway. The M3/M35 motorway, as part of the Trans-
European Network, links the Hungarian capital Budapest with the less developed regions
of Hungary in the East. The new motorway sections will increase road safety and help to
cope with the increased traffic flow since Hungary joined the EU. The EIB and the Hungarian
Development Bank have also agreed on a €100 million operation to finance various projects
in the areas of infrastructure, energy, environmental protection, and so on. The loan targets
projects relating to transport development, energy (mainly efficiency and renewable) and
environmental protection. These EIB funds will be lent to Hungarian municipalities or
associations thereof, or to micro, small and medium-sized enterprises to improve their
access to medium and long-term financing and to support various projects.

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